scorched; scorching; scorches
1
: to burn a surface of so as to change its color and texture
2
a
: to dry or shrivel with or as if with intense heat : parch
b
: to afflict painfully with censure or sarcasm
3
: devastate
especially
: to destroy (something, such as property of possible use to an advancing enemy) before abandoning
—used in the phrase scorched earth
1
: to become scorched
2
: to travel at great and usually excessive speed
3
: to cause intense heat or mental anguish
scorching sun
scorching fury
1
: a result of scorching
2
: a browning of plant tissues usually from disease or heat
Synonyms
Examples of scorch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 20 Nov. 2023
Reyes, who always makes the other runners work for their wins by setting a scorching pace, showed a surprisingly strong kick to win the section title in 14:47.4, the fastest time of the day.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Nov. 2023
The Matts Creek Fire is one of several hundred blazes which have scorched the southern and central Appalachians in recent weeks.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
In the scorching heat of the arid desert, plants have evolved a variety of ways to extract and store freshwater from their environment.
—Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Nov. 2023
The shelters still dot the road like toy castles, their playful exteriors masking scorched interiors and the lingering stench of slaughter.
—Isabel Kershner Amit Elkayam, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023
This works better than trying to cook out the excess moisture on top of the stove in a saucepan that will need to be stirred to keep the potatoes from scorching on the bottom.
—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2023
Buildings are left scorched with debris strewn across the road in the kibbutz.
—Richard Engel, NBC News, 11 Oct. 2023
Glorious autumn foliage As temperatures gradually decline following the scorching summer, the renowned koyo or autumn foliage begins in mid-September in Hokkaido.
—Tokyo Halfie, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2023
Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023
This would be consistent with a rocket approaching from the southwest, as rockets scorch and damage the earth on approach to the ground.
—Paul P. Murphy, CNN, 21 Oct. 2023
In any case, at such a short range — less than 10 miles — the missile is most likely to have landed with unspent fuel in its rocket motor, which would detonate or burn upon impact, offering a possible explanation for the widespread scorch marks at the market.
—Alexander Cardia, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
Washington’s heat only grazed the heights of scorch on Saturday, but the humidity helped the day approach the state of a significant summer swelter.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 16 July 2023
Throughout her career, the richness of O’Connor’s music was often surpassed by the vehemence and scorch of her politics.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 27 July 2023
Other parts of the world have felt the scorch this year.
—Somini Sengupta, New York Times, 8 June 2023
Aerial assessments last year documented nearly 230,000 acres of heat scorch across Oregon and Washington, DePinte said.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2022
Adding additional green spaces throughout the city can not only minimize the sun's scorch on city sidewalks, but also has the potential to temper the urban heat island that surrounds Phoenix.
—Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 23 Nov. 2022
Emily Heil, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
Thursday, Latin Academy at No. 18 Archbishop Williams, 3:30 p.m. — Standout pitcher Alanis Toledano and the Dragons travel to Braintree to battle a scorching-hot Bishops offense, averaging over 18 runs a game.
—Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Apr. 2023
So consider adding some low-maintenance options that will survive the scorching temps to come.
—Ryan Conner, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
Recently, the moderate Third Way think tank published a scorching analysis laying out how a third-party candidacy would lead to another Trump presidency.
—Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 28 Mar. 2023
Protect your scalp from the scorching sun and your face from a burn with the Fancet Packable Straw Fedora, which comes in four adjustable sizes and 10 colors.
—Jill Schildhouse, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2023
Payton Smith Payton Smith La Jolla Girls track Off to a scorching start, the Vikings’ junior captured the 200 (24.08 seconds) and 400-meter (54.85 seconds) dashes at the Mt. Carmel Invitational.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023
Duluth may offer an escape from scorching temperatures, but its winters are long and gray.
—Debra Kamin, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023
The Blue Demons are a scorching 14-of-18 from the field.
—Adam Baum, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2023
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Verb
The tournament was controversially moved to the winter to accommodate the scorching temperatures during Qatar’s summer, which can reach up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 20 Nov. 2023
Reyes, who always makes the other runners work for their wins by setting a scorching pace, showed a surprisingly strong kick to win the section title in 14:47.4, the fastest time of the day.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Nov. 2023
The Matts Creek Fire is one of several hundred blazes which have scorched the southern and central Appalachians in recent weeks.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
In the scorching heat of the arid desert, plants have evolved a variety of ways to extract and store freshwater from their environment.
—Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Nov. 2023
The shelters still dot the road like toy castles, their playful exteriors masking scorched interiors and the lingering stench of slaughter.
—Isabel Kershner Amit Elkayam, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023
This works better than trying to cook out the excess moisture on top of the stove in a saucepan that will need to be stirred to keep the potatoes from scorching on the bottom.
—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2023
Buildings are left scorched with debris strewn across the road in the kibbutz.
—Richard Engel, NBC News, 11 Oct. 2023
Glorious autumn foliage As temperatures gradually decline following the scorching summer, the renowned koyo or autumn foliage begins in mid-September in Hokkaido.
—Tokyo Halfie, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2023
Noun
Morning traffic returned without much fanfare Monday to the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, propped up by a series of temporary shoring structures and still bearing black scorch marks from the massive fire that burned under the overpass this month.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023
This would be consistent with a rocket approaching from the southwest, as rockets scorch and damage the earth on approach to the ground.
—Paul P. Murphy, CNN, 21 Oct. 2023
In any case, at such a short range — less than 10 miles — the missile is most likely to have landed with unspent fuel in its rocket motor, which would detonate or burn upon impact, offering a possible explanation for the widespread scorch marks at the market.
—Alexander Cardia, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
Washington’s heat only grazed the heights of scorch on Saturday, but the humidity helped the day approach the state of a significant summer swelter.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 16 July 2023
Throughout her career, the richness of O’Connor’s music was often surpassed by the vehemence and scorch of her politics.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 27 July 2023
Other parts of the world have felt the scorch this year.
—Somini Sengupta, New York Times, 8 June 2023
Aerial assessments last year documented nearly 230,000 acres of heat scorch across Oregon and Washington, DePinte said.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2022
Adding additional green spaces throughout the city can not only minimize the sun's scorch on city sidewalks, but also has the potential to temper the urban heat island that surrounds Phoenix.
—Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 23 Nov. 2022
Verb
That swirling cloud of steam worthy of a Vegas-residency show, that pop-pop-sizzle of meat and onions against scorching-hot cast iron.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
Thursday, Latin Academy at No. 18 Archbishop Williams, 3:30 p.m. — Standout pitcher Alanis Toledano and the Dragons travel to Braintree to battle a scorching-hot Bishops offense, averaging over 18 runs a game.
—Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Apr. 2023
So consider adding some low-maintenance options that will survive the scorching temps to come.
—Ryan Conner, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
Recently, the moderate Third Way think tank published a scorching analysis laying out how a third-party candidacy would lead to another Trump presidency.
—Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 28 Mar. 2023
Protect your scalp from the scorching sun and your face from a burn with the Fancet Packable Straw Fedora, which comes in four adjustable sizes and 10 colors.
—Jill Schildhouse, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2023
Payton Smith Payton Smith La Jolla Girls track Off to a scorching start, the Vikings’ junior captured the 200 (24.08 seconds) and 400-meter (54.85 seconds) dashes at the Mt. Carmel Invitational.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023
Duluth may offer an escape from scorching temperatures, but its winters are long and gray.
—Debra Kamin, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023
The Blue Demons are a scorching 14-of-18 from the field.
—Adam Baum, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scorch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English; probably akin to Middle English scorcnen to become singed, scorklen to parch
Verb (2)
Middle English, perhaps blend of scoren to score and scocchen to scotch
First Known Use
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of scorch was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing scorch
Dictionary Entries Near scorch
Cite this Entry
“Scorch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scorch. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
scorch
1 of 2 verb1
: to burn on the surface
2
: to burn so as to dry, wilt, or turn brown
scorch
2 of 2 noun1
: a result of scorching
2
: a browning of plant tissues usually caused by disease or heat
More from Merriam-Webster on scorch
Nglish: Translation of scorch for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of scorch for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scorch
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