scorches; scorched; scorching
1
a
: to burn the surface of (something)
Roast the peanuts while being careful not to scorch them.
The hot pan scorched the table.
b
: to be burned on the surface
The fabric/material scorches at high temperatures.
2
: to damage (something) by making it extremely dry
The hot sun scorched the grass.
The land was scorched by drought.
3
always followed by an adverb or preposition British, informal
: to travel very fast
The car went scorching down the street.
plural scorches
: a damaged area or mark that is caused by burning
There was a scorch (mark) on the tabletop.
Cite this Entry
“Scorch.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/scorch. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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