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 of scorch

Verb (1)

• char
• singe
• bake

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

If your baker friend has ever complained to you about how the bottoms of their cookies always end up scorched or their muffins just don’t seem to rise, give them an oven thermometer for the holidays and watch as their baking woes magically disappear. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Nov. 2025

There is only scorched earth, and mockery, and enmity. —David Aldridge, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025

Noun

For Virginia Republicans, the blaze may be out, but the scorch marks remain. —Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2025

Prolonged exposure or the uneven heating of the microwave can also cause the wax to scorch or smoke, creating a potential fire hazard. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 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

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

15th 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