scorch

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈskȯrch 

scorched; scorching; scorches

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

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

scorchingly

ˈskȯr-chiŋ-lē 

adverb

scorch

2 of 3

noun

1

: a result of scorching

2

: a browning of plant tissues usually from disease or heat

scorch

3 of 3

verb (2)

scorched; scorching; scorches

transitive verb

dialectal British

: cut, slash

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• char
• sear
• singe

Examples of scorch in a Sentence

Verb (1)

the picnickers kept scorching their marshmallows, deliberately sticking their skewers into the licking flames of the campfire

weeks of drought had badly scorched the soil

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In some parts of the U.S., scorching temperatures send people indoors to the comfort of air conditioning, which makes the virus easier to spread. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2025

With scorching temperatures becoming more common across the country (the Old Farmers' Almanac deemed this the hottest and driest summer for the third year in a row), staying cool at home is top of mind for everyone. —Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2025

Noun

Although wildfires scorch, storms rage and earthquakes shake all around the periphery of the film’s plot, these two lonely, early-middle-aged souls can’t stop their feelings despite clear impediments to true love like — oops! —Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025

Tropical lowlands that flood during the rainy season and scorch during the sunny season don’t exactly sound ideal for agriculture. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 29 Jan. 2025

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

Phrases Containing scorch

• leaf scorch

Rhymes for scorch

• porch
• torch

Kids Definition

scorch

1 of 2 verb

ˈskȯrch 

1

: to burn on the surface

2

: to burn so as to dry, wilt, or turn brown

scorch

2 of 2 noun

1

: a result of scorching

2

: a browning of plant tissues usually caused by disease or heat