as in sweat
a state of nervous or irritated concern
the set designer spent the entire week before opening night in a swelter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to melt
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swelter
E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Its living room rapidly reached the swelter and volume of a blacksmith’s forge operating as a front for an unlicensed tavern.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Deanna Romano, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Jan. 2026
People hired by the contractors wear extensive protective equipment in the sweltering humidity and must have their blood tested regularly for dioxin.
—Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swelter
Noun
On the couch, in the summer swelter, their sticky bodies are inches apart, even as their souls drift.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Its living room rapidly reached the swelter and volume of a blacksmith’s forge operating as a front for an unlicensed tavern.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Avoid summer, which brings sweltering heat with little shade and peak accommodation prices, or winter, as many guesthouses close in December and January.
—Deanna Romano, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Jan. 2026
People hired by the contractors wear extensive protective equipment in the sweltering humidity and must have their blood tested regularly for dioxin.
—Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swelter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swelter
Noun
-
Sauna in Finland seems to be a whole event, not just a quick sweat.—
Brad Japhe,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Keep scrolling below for more pairs of comfortable summer travel pants, including cozy sweats and casual capri pants under $30.—
Madeline Merinuk,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Chaotic terrain is characterized by fractured, jumbled blocks of rock thought to have formed when underground ice melted and caused the surface above to collapse.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
15 May 2026
-
Tuckers Tavern is another elevated pick, ideal for burgers and a raw bar, while Skipper Dipper is where generations of families line up after dinner for towering ice cream cones that melt almost as quickly as the sunsets over the bay.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Its candor incited a small-scale moral panic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
The events triggered a sense of panic among Democrats.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The Morrill Fire — the largest wildfire in Nebraska history — scorched vast stretches of land in mid-March.—
Kailey Schuyler,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
-
Their luck finally ran out in the final, as they were scorched by two of the best players Asia has to offer in Yufei Long & Ting Chieh Wei, winners of the 2025 Sansan Fukuoka Open.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Among agonized grunts and huffs, Probst narrated the fumbles.—
Sarah Grant,
New Yorker,
2 Feb. 2026
-
David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and nutty, 5 to 7 minutes.—
Kate Williams,
AJC.com,
18 May 2026
-
Per 1 cup cooked, chickpea pasta contains roughly 190–220 calories, 30–35g of carbs, 12–15g of protein, 8–10g of fiber and 3–4g of fat.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
No fuss, no muss — just high-quality ingredients and a touch of spice.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
-
Between the flattering V-neck design, flowy butterfly sleeves, and pleated pattern, this top was made to move with you without any fuss or restriction.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
19 May 2026
Verb
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That high smoke point is part of why tallow has gained traction with home cooks who want a fat that holds up to high-heat frying and roasting without breaking down.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
-
For high-heat work — frying, searing, roasting potatoes, finishing a crust on a steak — beef tallow has real advantages over butter in smoke point, stability and crisp texture.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swelter. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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