Usage Note
Schwül describes hot, humid, oppressive weather — schwüle Luft, ein schwüler Sommertag. It implies discomfort from combined heat and humidity, and is one of the most common weather adjectives in summer German.
Examples
"An diesem schwülen Nachmittag warteten alle auf ein befreiendes Gewitter."
Natural Translation
On this sultry afternoon everyone was waiting for a liberating thunderstorm.
Literal Translation
On this sultry afternoon waited everyone for a liberating thunderstorm.

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