as in boiling
having a notably high temperature
we keep indoors as much as possible during the day so as to avoid the scorching summer heat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in charring
to burn on the surface
the picnickers kept scorching their marshmallows, deliberately sticking their skewers into the licking flames of the campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in drying
to make dry
weeks of drought had badly scorched the soil
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scorching
Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
Up next for Mazzulla’s squad is a visit to the similarly scorching Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, followed by a rematch with the Hawks in Atlanta on Monday.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
At the same time, the scorching heat will continue in the West for a few more days before finally cooling off next week, forecasters said.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
India, the second-largest coal consumer and producer, is bracing for a scorching summer and will rely more on coal to meet the peak demand of 270 gigawatts -- nearly twice the electricity Spain can produce.
—Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
India, the second-largest coal consumer and producer, is bracing for a scorching summer and will rely more on coal to meet peak demand of 270 gigawatts — nearly twice the electricity Spain can produce.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Led by a 24-point performance from Jaylen Petty, Texas Tech shot a scorching 65% from the field.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
It’s finally expected to cool down in Southern California this weekend after a scorching heat wave this week broke temperature records across the region.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Neither were particularly excited for the scorching week ahead.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
That series sent her through icy Arctic conditions, dense jungles, and scorching deserts — all within one calendar year, across multiple continents.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
This unseasonable March streak of scorching heat is not only notable in its intensity, but also in its duration and its scale.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
And scorching Southern California weather could lead to earlier fire season.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
The death of a star is usually thought to be a violent and hostile place, filled with scorching radiation that destroys fragile molecules.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2026
In a region where weather swings from paralyzing ice storms to scorching summers, these elements carry weight.
—Mary Grace Granados
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
How to Cope When spending time outdoors in scorching weather, protect yourself by hydrating frequently, avoiding the hottest time of day, and seeking shade when possible.
—Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Mar. 2026
In 2023, the marathon was canceled the morning of due to scorching heat.
—Aki Nace, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
That included coming out past the goalie box to punch away a scorching shot in the 36th minute.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
Up next for Mazzulla’s squad is a visit to the similarly scorching Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, followed by a rematch with the Hawks in Atlanta on Monday.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
At the same time, the scorching heat will continue in the West for a few more days before finally cooling off next week, forecasters said.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
India, the second-largest coal consumer and producer, is bracing for a scorching summer and will rely more on coal to meet the peak demand of 270 gigawatts -- nearly twice the electricity Spain can produce.
—Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
India, the second-largest coal consumer and producer, is bracing for a scorching summer and will rely more on coal to meet peak demand of 270 gigawatts — nearly twice the electricity Spain can produce.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Led by a 24-point performance from Jaylen Petty, Texas Tech shot a scorching 65% from the field.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
It’s finally expected to cool down in Southern California this weekend after a scorching heat wave this week broke temperature records across the region.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Neither were particularly excited for the scorching week ahead.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
However, it must be shielded from scorching sun.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
That series sent her through icy Arctic conditions, dense jungles, and scorching deserts — all within one calendar year, across multiple continents.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
This unseasonable March streak of scorching heat is not only notable in its intensity, but also in its duration and its scale.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
And scorching Southern California weather could lead to earlier fire season.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
The death of a star is usually thought to be a violent and hostile place, filled with scorching radiation that destroys fragile molecules.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2026
In a region where weather swings from paralyzing ice storms to scorching summers, these elements carry weight.
—Mary Grace Granados
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
How to Cope When spending time outdoors in scorching weather, protect yourself by hydrating frequently, avoiding the hottest time of day, and seeking shade when possible.
—Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Mar. 2026
In 2023, the marathon was canceled the morning of due to scorching heat.
—Aki Nace, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scorching
Adjective
-
More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
29 Dec. 2025
-
Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The finished pizza should have a thin crust with a puffy cornice around the edges, spotted with charring.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The extra step—charring the garlic, peppers, and onions—takes salsa to the next level.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The results could one day help mitigate the problem of toxic dust spewing from the drying lake bed onto Salt Lake City—the Great Salt Lake’s bed is laced with arsenic, a toxic substance that, when people are exposed to it as dust, may cause cancers, respiratory problems and heart disease.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Alcohol can be stinging and drying to the skin.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But as Lumpkin sat at the defense table, the victim’s family delivered searing statements that undercut her long-standing claims of abuse, portraying her instead as a calculating, coldblooded killer.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
-
There are no national – or local – media outlets setting up for live broadcasts on this searing hot afternoon.—
Celina Tebor,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The play, like the movie, is loosely based on a robbery that took place in 1972, on a boiling-hot August day, when an eccentric, deep-in-debt Vietnam veteran named John Wojtowicz entered a Chase bank in Brooklyn with a gun and two accomplices, hoping for a quick score.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Rather than offering just the standard facials and massages (which are also on the menu), the spa has red and blue light therapy and a treatment where guests can alternate between a hot sauna and a cold plunge.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
But Novarupta’s act of magma theft provided the first hint that molten rock might be nimbler than scientists realized.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Earth's magnetic dynamo is situated in our planet's outer core, where the convection of molten iron generates electrical currents.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scorching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorching. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
