parch

verb

\ˈpärch

parched; parching; parches

Definition of parch

transitive verb

1 : to toast under dry heat

2 : to shrivel with heat

3 : to dry or shrivel with cold

intransitive verb

: to become dry or scorched

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about parch

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Synonyms & Antonyms for parch

Synonyms

dehydrate, desiccate, dry, scorch, sear

Antonyms

hydrate, wash, water, wet

Examples of parch in a Sentence

The hot desert sun had parched the land. the heat has really parched my throat

Recent Examples on the Web

But the whole ordeal was jarring for California, which had just been parched by a record drought that left lakes dry, lawns yellow, and restaurants not allowed to serve water unless it was specifically requested. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "California’s droughts and deluges portend the weather “whiplash” to come," 24 Apr. 2018 Louis Meyer was parched after winning the 1936 race and asked for buttermilk in victory lane. — Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star, "Everything you need to know about the Indy 500 2018," 9 Apr. 2018 California's ongoing drought parched its landscape, making the state tinder for potential fires. — National Geographic, "Mudslides, Wildfires, and Drought—California's Deadly Weather Explained," 10 Jan. 2018 The wind careens over low-lying Southern California, parching vegetation in its path that can easily become fuel for a fire. — Bonnie Berkowitz, Washington Post, "How Santa Ana winds spread wildfires," 8 Dec. 2017 Famine looks like dusty fields parched from drought, distended bellies and emaciated frames, a bad harvest with no crops. — Clarissa Ward, Salma Abdelaziz And Scott Mcwhinnie, CNN, "In Yemen, the markets have food, but children are starving to death," 19 Dec. 2017 Hot, dry and windy weather parched the grapes, reducing yields and grape juice, and harvesting was completed earlier than usual. — Rudy Ruitenberg, Bloomberg.com, "France to Make Least Wine in 60 Years After Bad Weather Hits Grapes," 7 Oct. 2017 Their bodies were bent under the weight of their belongings and their lips were cracked and parched from thirst. — Washington Post, "Bangladesh coastal town a place of Rohingya hope and tragedy," 25 Sep. 2017 Responding to the severe drought that is parching Italy, the Vatican has started to shut off its historic decorative and drinking fountains, Hilary Clarke reports for CNN. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Vatican Shuts Off Its Historic Fountains in Midst of Scorching Drought," 26 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.