char 1 of 2

noun

Definition of charnext
British
as in housekeeper
a female domestic servant a busy executive who leaves most of the cooking and cleaning to the char

Synonyms & Similar Words

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char

2 of 2

verb

as in to scorch
to burn on the surface I'd like my hamburger charred, but not cooked through

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 char
Noun
The steak was smoky and tender, with the kind of char that lingers without overwhelming the meat. — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 This includes red meat, dairy and all mammal byproducts, like bone char. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
Verb
The blaze has spread across heathland and fields, forcing dozens of people to be evacuated from their homes, with vast stretches of land left charred. — Tiago Ventura, Time, 30 July 2026 It was blackened, charred, the conductor that had drawn the single precise punch of lightning. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for char
Recent Examples of Synonyms for char
  1. housekeeper
  2. scorch
  3. maid
  4. singe
  5. sear
  6. light
Noun
  • The singer’s guilty plea comes weeks after he was ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages to his former housekeeper after a dog attack at his home in 2020.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026
  • The film is about a former housekeeper named Marie who, while preparing to celebrate her engagement to the patriarch of the house, is haunted by secrets of her past.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 23 July 2026
Definition of housekeeper
Verb
  • The massive wildfire outside the southwestern city of Bordeaux, which has scorched about 420 square kilometers (162 square miles), uncovered what is believed to be World War II-era ammunition.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • As well as fueling the fires scorching Europe’s land, the latest heatwaves have also put unprecedented pressure on the continent’s water sources – and the vital infrastructure that relies on them.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of scorch
Noun
  • The maid came into the room and brought me upstairs to a massage room.
    — Abby Ellin, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • When the elevator opened on Sonya’s floor, a uniformed maid stood waiting at the apartment’s front door.
    — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Definition of maid
Verb
  • Five digital heat settings make temperature adjustment simple, and the ceramic plates are gentle enough to use on any hair type without singeing.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 18 June 2026
  • An angry deity hurled a firebrand at the swallow, singeing away its middle tail feathers.
    — Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of singe
Verb
  • Lobster rolls for lunch and seared lamb chops with curry gnocchi or braised short ribs with rutabaga puree for dinner.
    — Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Her thin Indian skirt caught fire searing her panty hose into her flesh, leaving her with third-degree burns over more than half her body.
    — Steve Wasserman, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of sear
Verb
  • What were some of the biggest considerations for filming and lighting the underwater sequences?
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • The man is then seen lighting the red Corvette on fire but stays at the scene watching the car burn from across the street, according to police.
    — Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of light

Browse Nearby Words

chapters
char
character
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Cite this Entry

“Char.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/char. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on char

Nglish: Translation of char for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about char

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