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

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
Monday, the blaze jumped a control line and initially scorched another 40 acres, according to Watch Duty, a nonprofit organization and app that tracks fires. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 28 July 2026 In the Madrid region alone, 6,000 hectares (23 square miles) burnt overnight, taking the total area scorched in that region to 34,000 hectares (131 square miles) in just the last few days, Ayuso said. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 28 July 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
  • For the main course, the lamb kabab slid straight off the skewer, charred on the outside and juicy on the inside.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of charred
Verb
  • The right specialist, sitting at the table before the ink dried.
    — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Unlike shell-in eggs, all commercial egg products, such as liquid, frozen, or dried eggs, must be pasteurized.
    — Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 23 July 2026
Definition of dried
Adjective
  • Pan seared salmon is lush with a creamy radish sauce and pine nuts.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • For fish lovers both a pan-seared salmon and trout almondine are on offer.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 28 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
  • Best Cooling Linen Clothes on Amazon With much of the country dealing with another round of scorching temperatures, staying cool is still top of mind.
    — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • The change comes amid recent scorching temperatures plaguing Californians statewide — temperatures that can pose a threat to their health.
    — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 28 July 2026
Definition of scorching

Browse Nearby Words

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 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on scorched

Nglish: Translation of scorched for Spanish Speakers

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