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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
During the 2016 Chimney Fire, which scorched more than 46,000 acres in the Santa Lucia Range, one of the family’s favorite manzanita trees burned black. — Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2026 Dangerous heat that has scorched the Southwest for days is now spreading to the nation's midsection. — ABC News, 30 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
  • Brush the ribs with the cola barbecue sauce on both sides and grill or broil for 10 minutes, flipping once, until charred on each side.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Brush 2 medium ears of corn, shucked, with olive oil; grill, turning often, until tender and charred in spots, 7–9 minutes.
    — Hana Asbrink, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of charred
Verb
  • It’s brined, then dried with baking powder before it’s basted with roasted garlic, sherry vinegar, honey and mustard.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Costume designer Colleen Atwood devised the ensemble, while Ed Cubberly created the famous fiberglass muzzle, deliberately leaving it uncoated to evoke the look of dried, taut skin.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of dried
Adjective
  • It can be roasted, pan-seared, grilled, and even cooked in a Southerner’s favorite fashion—hand-breaded and deep-fried.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
  • To serve it as part of a larger menu, consider following it up with salmon—try Martha’s pan-seared salmon fillets with caper-lemon compound butter.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 20 Sep. 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
  • Mitchell also extended her scorching streak, tallying her 27th consecutive game with 20 or more points.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Mensah mania Mensah’s scorching-hot start to the season continued in Week 3.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of scorching

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scorch
scorched
scorches
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Cite this Entry

“Scorched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorched. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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