scorch

1 of 2

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 2

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

Luckily for England, Kane was scorching hot in 2025-26, scoring 61 goals for Bayern Munich across all competitions. —Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 4 June 2026

Then Pelley went scorched earth against the new CBS News and Paramount leadership. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026

Basil also benefits from taller pepper plants, which provide enough shade to prevent basil leaves from getting scorched during intense summer heat. —Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2026

That includes area scorched by the Eaton fire in January of 2025. —Ryan Carter, Daily News, 3 June 2026

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

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