scorched 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of scorchednext
as in burned

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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

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 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
In northern states, like Washington and Oregon, the dry weather could further kindle destructive fires that have scorched thousands of acres. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Brown dry spots on the leaves or tips of the leaves mean that the bromeliad is being scorched by too much direct sunlight. — Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 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
  • Transfer to the oven and roast until crisp-tender and charred in spots, about 8 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Throw them on medium-high and grill the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side and the corn for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred in spots.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of charred
Verb
  • Once your produce is fully dried, store it in an airtight container so moisture cannot creep back in.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
  • This can be accomplished with any kind of bread, nothing fancy needed, and when the bread is dried, just replace it with a fresh slice.
    — Mary Claire Britton, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of dried
Adjective
  • Another dish to look out for is the seared tuna ($44), bathed in a delectable coconut and brown-butter sauce that’s paired with Jimmy Nardello peppers that look spicy but simply offer a fresh crunch.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Pan seared salmon is lush with a creamy radish sauce and pine nuts.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 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
  • Problems concerning infrastructure, investment, distribution and regulation have all compounded the effects of Britain’s scorching summer, forcing the government to consider its plans for a water crisis more carefully.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 13 Aug. 2026
  • For the first time since early July, weather service experts say OC residents should experience some cooler temperatures, a welcome relief from the scorching, humid weather that has been lingering over the area.
    — Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of scorching

Browse Nearby Words

scorch
scorched
scorches
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scorched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorched. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on scorched

Nglish: Translation of scorched for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All