scorched 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of scorchednext
as in burned

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scorched

2 of 2

verb

past tense of scorch
1
as in charred
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 dried
to make dry weeks of drought had badly scorched the soil

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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 scorched
Adjective
If possible, wait until the extreme temperatures cool to apply pesticides that can cause scorched leaves. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 20 June 2026 Later the day of the arson, a young man with scorched hands faced an FBI agent and others investigating the crime. — Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
The scars of the 2008 financial crisis are still scorched into Icelandic memory, and the small national currency lends itself to volatility and inflation spirals. — Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 The Ross Fire has scorched at least 80,000 acres in North Texas, damaging several structures in Palo Pinto County, including a longtime canoe rental business in Graford. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scorched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scorched
  1. burned
  2. charred
  3. dried
  4. seared
  5. incinerated
  6. scorching
Adjective
  • Designed to function like an ice resurfacer, BurnBot lays down pre-burned paths that define the boundaries of burn areas.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Nov. 2025
  • Yeager said none of the non-burned areas of the facility have been turned on again.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Definition of burned
Verb
  • In July 2025, the Dragon Bravo megafire charred nearly 150,000 acres at Grand Canyon National Park.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Grill, covered, until husks are charred and kernels are tender and browned in spots, 15 to 18 minutes, turning occasionally.
    — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of charred
Verb
  • Pieces must be shaped, dried, fired, glazed, fired again and tested; Przenioslo uses a community kiln and gives herself at least two months to prepare a collection.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Those pellets were then placed into moulds and dried, allowing the fungal threads to come together and form a continuous sheet.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of dried
Adjective
  • Originating in London, Steak Diane is a pan-seared steak topped with a flambéed cream and cognac sauce, that became a staple dish in the 1960s and 1970s across the United States.
    — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2026
  • These mouthwatering short ribs are pan-seared until caramelized and then braised in a savory red wine sauce.
    — Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of seared
Adjective
  • Grace, her white lace dress blackened with blood, is smoking a cigarette outside of an incinerated mansion that belongs to her in-laws, the Le Domas, who are all dead.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Know More Initially founded in 2012 with a $5 million dollar grant from the John Templeton Foundation, Nautilus incinerated cash, sparing no expense in its pursuit of bringing resplendent literary science to the reading public.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of incinerated
Adjective
  • The institute now plans to use these heat-blocking fabrics for building exteriors, roadside facilities, and international transit markets facing their own scorching summers.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Much of that was due to the scorching heat throughout the Southland, which reached a heat index about 100 at the Coliseum on Saturday.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of scorching

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Cite this Entry

“Scorched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorched. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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