often attributive
1
: a burning stick of resinous wood or twist of tow used to give light and usually carried in the hand : flambeau
2
: something (such as tradition, wisdom, or knowledge) likened to a torch as giving light or guidance
pass the torch to the next generation
3
: any of various portable devices for emitting an unusually hot flame compare blowtorch
4
chiefly British
: flashlight sense 1
torched; torching; torches
: to set fire to with or as if with a torch
Synonyms
Examples of torch in a Sentence
Noun
several suspicious fires in the past few months have probably been set by the same torch
Verb
An arsonist torched the building.
police suspect that the owner torched the house for the insurance money
Recent Examples on the Web
Lea Skene, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024
Boats will carry the torch to islands like Martinique and French Polynesia.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2024
Though Jay Leno has already passed the Tonight torch over to O’Brien, the network began making plans for a new show with Leno in the same time slot.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
Demonstrators carried torches and posters denouncing Netanyahu, who is also facing pressure from allies, including the United States, over Israel’s punishing military campaign in Gaza.
—Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
Lemon Balm Leaf is loaded with antioxidants and improves digestion, which can help your body torch fat faster.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The lighting of the Olympic torch will get the big screen treatment this summer thanks to a new partnership between NBC and Imax.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024
Jeff spares Bhanu the pain of seeing his name written on the parchment and instead just snuffs Bhanu's torch after gifting him with a heartfelt departing speech.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
The tiki torch top can break open and/or fall off while lit, posing a burn hazard.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2024
Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2024
That Durango was found later that day in a construction site, torched, with a woman’s body burned inside.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024
Authorities said the blaze torched at least four homes, the Morning Call reported.
—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 17 Apr. 2024
By shooting with confidence, Green torched the Lakers not with his game-wrecking defense, but with his 3-point stroke.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
The Clippers could not contain Damian Lillard, who torched them for 41 points on 12-for-22 shooting, including four for nine on three-pointers.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Even some of the air-conditioning units were torched, a tactic used by Hamas fighters to smoke victims out of their homes.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Khalif Battle puts Arkansas on his shoulders What a showing for Battle, who led Arkansas with a career-high 42 points and torched the Missouri defense in a variety of ways.
—Jackson Fuller, Kansas City Star, 24 Feb. 2024
In the Netherlands riot, officers used tear gas and rioters torched police cars and a bus, Sky News reported.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 18 Feb. 2024
Noun
In the salvage yard Monday morning, workers disassembled the metal trusses by attacking them with propane torches and a pair of giant shears that sliced them into more manageable pieces.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024
Boats will carry the torch to islands like Martinique and French Polynesia.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2024
Though Jay Leno has already passed the Tonight torch over to O’Brien, the network began making plans for a new show with Leno in the same time slot.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
Demonstrators carried torches and posters denouncing Netanyahu, who is also facing pressure from allies, including the United States, over Israel’s punishing military campaign in Gaza.
—Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
Lemon Balm Leaf is loaded with antioxidants and improves digestion, which can help your body torch fat faster.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The lighting of the Olympic torch will get the big screen treatment this summer thanks to a new partnership between NBC and Imax.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024
Jeff spares Bhanu the pain of seeing his name written on the parchment and instead just snuffs Bhanu's torch after gifting him with a heartfelt departing speech.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
The tiki torch top can break open and/or fall off while lit, posing a burn hazard.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
The Smokehouse Creek Fire in Hutchinson County burned for nearly three weeks earlier this year, killing two people and torching over 1 million acres.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2024
That Durango was found later that day in a construction site, torched, with a woman’s body burned inside.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024
Authorities said the blaze torched at least four homes, the Morning Call reported.
—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 17 Apr. 2024
By shooting with confidence, Green torched the Lakers not with his game-wrecking defense, but with his 3-point stroke.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
The Clippers could not contain Damian Lillard, who torched them for 41 points on 12-for-22 shooting, including four for nine on three-pointers.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Even some of the air-conditioning units were torched, a tactic used by Hamas fighters to smoke victims out of their homes.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Khalif Battle puts Arkansas on his shoulders What a showing for Battle, who led Arkansas with a career-high 42 points and torched the Missouri defense in a variety of ways.
—Jackson Fuller, Kansas City Star, 24 Feb. 2024
In the Netherlands riot, officers used tear gas and rioters torched police cars and a bus, Sky News reported.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 18 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'torch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near torch
Cite this Entry
“Torch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torch. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
TORCH
noun
: a group of pathological agents that cause similar symptoms in newborns and that include especially a toxoplasma (Toxoplasma gonii), cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and the togavirus causing German measles
Etymology
Noun
toxoplasma, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus
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