searing

adjective

sear·​ing ˈsir-iŋ 

1

: very hot

2

: marked by extreme intensity, harshness, or emotional power

searing pain

a searing review

a searing portrayal

searingly adverb

Synonyms of searing

• boiling
• burning
• hot
• molten

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

Hundreds of kilometers away in the towns near Madrid, Spanish authorities declared that the fires burning there, fanned by strong winds and searing temperatures, were the worst-ever in the region’s history. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 25 July 2026

Von Carolsfeld doesn’t attempt a sweeping indictment of the criminal justice system, but rather produces a devastatingly accurate portrait of the searing human complicity that allows some monsters to roam free. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026

If random disclosure of common-sense-defying detail is your idea of a searing, poignant journey into the light of faith, there’s more where that came from. — Matthew Walther, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Severe droughts and searing heat across vast swathes of southern Europe destroyed large parts of the olive oil harvest, culminating in a dizzying price rally that shocked industry veterans and consumers alike. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for searing

• cheering
• clearing
• earing
• earring
• fearing
• gearing
• hearing
• jeering
• leering
• nearing
• peering
• rearing