torrid

adjective tor·rid \ ˈtȯr-əd , ˈtär- \

|Updated on: 6 Aug 2018

Examples: torrid in a Sentence

Editor's Note: What Do torrid and Toast Have in Common?

Definition of torrid

1 a : parched with heat especially of the sun : hot

torrid sands

b : giving off intense heat : scorching

2 : ardent, passionate

torrid love letters

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torridity

play \tȯ-ˈri-də-tē\ noun

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torridly

play \ˈtȯr-əd-lē, ˈtär-\ adverb

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torridness

noun

See torrid defined for English-language learners

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Examples of torrid in a Sentence

The team had a torrid time trying to score.
the dry, torrid summers in southern Arizona

Recent Examples of torrid from the Web

The departure of Kanté from Stamford Bridge would be the latest blow in a torrid few months for Chelsea.

— SI.com, "PSG Eye £100m Bid for Chelsea Midfielder as Blues Scout Ligue 1 Stars as Possible Replacements," 6 July 2018
Cruz's second-quarter fundraising also was his largest yet, though not nearly enough to keep up with O'Rourke's torrid pace.

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "Fox News Power Rankings: Hello, Wisconsin," 12 July 2018
Should the Red Sox continue at their torrid pace, with 65 wins through their first 94 games, their ratings will certainly rise in the second half.

— chad finn, BostonGlobe.com, "The Sports Hub remains top-rated radio station in Boston," 12 July 2018
After a torrid first week with triple-A Oklahoma City, Toles sat out nearly two months because of a hamstring injury.

— andy mccullough, latimes.com, "Dodgers put Yasiel Puig on the disabled list, call up Andrew Toles," 10 July 2018
That is a big but not insurmountable gap if Amazon keeps up its torrid stock gains.

— shira ovide, The Seattle Times, "Amazon closes in on Apple in the $1 trillion market-value stakes," 2 July 2018
Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who earlier in the day was named the National League’s Player of the Month, continued his torrid hitting on Monday by going 4 for 4 with four singles to raise his batting average to .274.

— arizona republic, azcentral, "Torey Lovullo and Yadier Molina meet to clear the air, but Cardinals get the last word," 2 July 2018
Currently the third-largest state with the fourth largest GDP, Florida’s population is growing at a torrid rate, adding 1,000 people each day.

— miamiherald, "Leigh-Ann Buchanan," 30 June 2018
Boston surged to a 17–2 start and has maintained a torrid pace on the way to a best-in-baseball 54–27 record.

— alex putterman, The Atlantic, "The Yankees–Red Sox Rivalry Is Back in Full Force," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'torrid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What Do torrid and Toast Have in Common?

Torrid derives from the Latin verb torrēre, which means "to burn" or "to parch" and is an ancestor of our word toast. Despite the dry implications of this root, it is also an ancestor of "torrent," which can refer to a violent stream of liquid (as in "a torrent of rain"). "Torrid" first appeared in English in the 16th century, and was originally used to describe something burned or scorched by exposure to the sun. The term "torrid zone" later came about to refer to tropical regions of the Earth. By the end of that century the word had taken on the extended meaning that we know today - suggesting fiery passion.

Origin and Etymology of torrid

Latin torridus, from torrēre

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1545

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

torrid Synonyms

TORRID Defined for English Language Learners

torrid

adjective

Definition of torrid for English Language Learners

: very hot and usually dry
: showing or expressing very strong feelings especially of sexual or romantic desire
: very difficult, uncomfortable, or unpleasant