Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
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

Vocabulary lists containing steamy

The Sweltering Words of Summer

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

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

Every Saturday, Taiwanese restaurant chain Din Tai Fung plates as many as 20,000 of its delicate, steamy dumplings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025

Over almost 18 million years, the mostly steamy climate gradually cooled and carbon dioxide levels declined from an early high.

From Salon • Feb. 17, 2025

He favours dark, steamy subterranean clubs and has adoring fans clamouring for selfies and kisses after his sets - with one woman even kissing his feet.

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2024

Mornings in the Congo were so steamy you couldn’t see a thing but cloud come to earth, so you might as well be anywhere.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

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.