searing

adjective

sear·​ing ˈsir-iŋ How to pronounce searing (audio)
1
: very hot
2
: marked by extreme intensity, harshness, or emotional power
searing pain
a searing review
a searing portrayal
searingly adverb

Examples of searing in a Sentence

the searing heat of the fire She felt a searing pain in her foot. She made a searing attack on her political enemies.
Recent Examples on the Web The superb Olympic win over Alcaraz was an outlier, a searing moment of willpower that sucked up all his strength and joy. Tim Ellis, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 In the mid-18th century, some scientists were skeptical that there would ever be a way to represent all the varied phenomena of hot and cold—a pan’s searing surface, a steamy jungle, the chill of a glacier—with a single number. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2024 This is a searing drama with an abundance of style and hallucinatory visual splendor, but one in which every choice feels deliberate and meaningful, too. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2024 Because of the Lego format, this isn’t a searing interrogation but a celebrity-friendly portrait. Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for searing 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'searing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of searing was in 1678

Dictionary Entries Near searing

Cite this Entry

“Searing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/searing. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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