sear

1 of 4

adjective

less common spelling of sere

1
: being dried and withered
2
archaic : threadbare

sear

2 of 4

verb

seared; searing; sears

intransitive verb

: to cause withering or drying

transitive verb

1
: to make withered and dry : parch
2
a
: to burn, scorch, mark, or injure with or as if with sudden application of intense heat
b
: to cook the surface of quickly with intense heat
sear a steak

sear

3 of 4

noun (1)

: a mark or scar left by searing

sear

4 of 4

noun (2)

: the catch that holds the hammer of a gun's lock at cock or half cock

Examples of sear in a Sentence

Verb The tree was seared by lightning. The flames seared my skin. The steak was seared over a hot grill.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
At the very outset of Hannah Dreier’s searing investigation, a 14-year-old named Marcos nearly loses his arm while cleaning a chicken slaughterhouse. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 19 Sep. 2023 Some of those searing particles whipped through space at about three million miles per hour. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2023 But the luxe look coupled with the convenience of searing a pork roast before slow cooking nestled among onions and carrots make this a great choice. Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2023 To help set Rachel up for scallop success, Kendra and Chris gave a few more pointers: Pat the scallops dry, salt them before cooking, and then sear them almost entirely on one side before flipping to keep them from sticking to the pan. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 28 Aug. 2023 The heat from the discharge carried through that coat, an inner jacket, and two shirts before searing the flesh around the entry wound. David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2023 Kumar arrives at 7 a.m. every day for his almost 12-hour shift, taking shade under a tree as the searing heat intensifies. Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2023 The Black Crowes open for Aerosmith Opening throughout the Peace Out tour is The Black Crowes, fellow blues rockers with a rangy lead singer (Chris Robinson) and searing guitarist (Rich Robinson). Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2023 But he was forced to flee his second home in the spring, after clashes between the two warring factions erupted into a searing conflict. Sana Noor Haq, CNN, 1 Sep. 2023
Noun
Spread the ground beef in an even layer in the pan to create a nice sear. Anna Theoktisto, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2023 For instance, with the hamburgers, there was a nice sear on one half of the burger but less browning on the other half. Camryn Rabideau, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2023 After a quick sear and sauté, your favorite kitchen appliance will do most of the work. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023 The fixings For meat, choose a cut that is tender and takes well to a fast sear. Katie Workman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2023 After finding fault with the Blue Team, and the way Kendal was using a reverse sear method to cook chicken for the sandwiches at the center of their meal, Ramsay returned to the Red Team to yell some more. Kturnqui, oregonlive, 17 Aug. 2023 Thanks to a nonstick ceramic coating, your sis can use it to fry eggs, steam veggies, sear steaks, sauté noodles, and beyond. Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 17 Aug. 2023 During the sear, the internal temp rose from 71 F to 97 F. After 5 minutes of resting, the internal temp rose to 107 F. Jack Hennessy, Outdoor Life, 3 Aug. 2023 But, before adding the meat to the grill, follow these steps: Use a paper towel to dry off surface moisture so the meat can get a nice sear and brown on the surface. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sear.' 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

Middle English seren, from Old English sēarian to become dry, from sēar sere

Noun (2)

probably from Middle French serre grasp, from serrer to press, grasp, from Old French, from Late Latin serare to bolt, latch, from Latin sera bar for fastening a door

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (1)

1874, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sear was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sear

Cite this Entry

“Sear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sear. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

sear

1 of 2 verb
ˈsi(ə)r
1
: to cause withering or drying : parch, shrivel
harsh winds that sear and burn
2
a
: to burn, scorch, mark, or injure with or as if with sudden heat
b
: to cook the surface of quickly with intense heat
sear a steak

sear

2 of 2 noun
: a mark or scar left by searing

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