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Synonyms

steamy

American  
[stee-mee] / ˈsti mi /

adjective

steamier, steamiest

  1. consisting of or resembling steam.

  2. full of or abounding in steam; emitting steam.

  3. covered with or as if with condensed steam.

    a steamy bathroom mirror.

  4. hot and humid.

  5. Informal. passionate or erotic.

steamy British  
/ ˈstiːmɪ /

adjective

  1. of, resembling, full of, or covered with steam

  2. informal lustful or erotic

    steamy nightlife
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • steamily adverb
  • steaminess noun

Etymology

Origin of steamy

First recorded in 1635–45; steam + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"GOAT" moved ahead of steamy literary adaptation "Wuthering Heights," which earned $14.2 million in its second week of release, according to Exhibitor Relations.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

I love an impromptu party, especially in the dead of winter and when it involves a luxurious, steamy bowl of soup.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

That championship was played in steamy August, another contributing factor to the layout feeling unfamiliar.

From BBC • May 12, 2025

Bad Bunny has kept busy since the release of “DTmF,” appearing in a steamy Calvin Klein Underwear spring campaign and performing on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2025

Just a whiff of that steamy paste, and I didn’t even want to take a chance.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.