as in boiling
having a notably high temperature
we keep indoors as much as possible during the day so as to avoid the scorching summer heat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in charring
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 drying
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 scorching
Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Mike Trout is off to a scorching start to the season.
—Andy Behrens, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
That included coming out past the goalie box to punch away a scorching shot in the 36th minute.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
Up next for Mazzulla’s squad is a visit to the similarly scorching Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, followed by a rematch with the Hawks in Atlanta on Monday.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Across the west, relief isn’t in sight yet, with scorching temperatures expected to continue over the coming days.
—Simmone Shah, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
At the same time, the scorching heat will continue in the West for a few more days before finally cooling off next week, forecasters said.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
India, the second-largest coal consumer and producer, is bracing for a scorching summer and will rely more on coal to meet the peak demand of 270 gigawatts -- nearly twice the electricity Spain can produce.
—Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
India, the second-largest coal consumer and producer, is bracing for a scorching summer and will rely more on coal to meet peak demand of 270 gigawatts — nearly twice the electricity Spain can produce.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Phoenix's Jalen Green was scorching hot in the two play-in games.
—ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
The heat combined with a fertilizer can cause adverse effects on the grass such as burning or scorching it.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
Higher heat encourages better skin texture, but balance is key to keep the potato from scorching before the interior softens through.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Devastating, scorching March The Sierra snowpack saw some promising accumulations earlier in the winter, especially between late December and early January, and during a very cold storm in mid-February that produced a lot of snow.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
However, it must be shielded from scorching sun.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
That series sent her through icy Arctic conditions, dense jungles, and scorching deserts — all within one calendar year, across multiple continents.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
And scorching Southern California weather could lead to earlier fire season.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Muncy and Andy Pages, the Dodgers’ scorching-hot seventh hitter, combined to go seven for eight and score seven runs, drive in seven runs and hit four home runs.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Mike Trout is off to a scorching start to the season.
—Andy Behrens, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
That included coming out past the goalie box to punch away a scorching shot in the 36th minute.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
Up next for Mazzulla’s squad is a visit to the similarly scorching Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, followed by a rematch with the Hawks in Atlanta on Monday.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Across the west, relief isn’t in sight yet, with scorching temperatures expected to continue over the coming days.
—Simmone Shah, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
At the same time, the scorching heat will continue in the West for a few more days before finally cooling off next week, forecasters said.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
India, the second-largest coal consumer and producer, is bracing for a scorching summer and will rely more on coal to meet the peak demand of 270 gigawatts -- nearly twice the electricity Spain can produce.
—Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
India, the second-largest coal consumer and producer, is bracing for a scorching summer and will rely more on coal to meet peak demand of 270 gigawatts — nearly twice the electricity Spain can produce.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Lakers were connected, apparently having had time to adjust to the loss of their two leading scorers, LeBron James acting as a brilliant playmaker for scorching hot shooters like Kennard, who hit all five of his treys in scoring a career playoff-high 27 points.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Phoenix's Jalen Green was scorching hot in the two play-in games.
—ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
The heat combined with a fertilizer can cause adverse effects on the grass such as burning or scorching it.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
Higher heat encourages better skin texture, but balance is key to keep the potato from scorching before the interior softens through.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Devastating, scorching March The Sierra snowpack saw some promising accumulations earlier in the winter, especially between late December and early January, and during a very cold storm in mid-February that produced a lot of snow.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
However, it must be shielded from scorching sun.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
That series sent her through icy Arctic conditions, dense jungles, and scorching deserts — all within one calendar year, across multiple continents.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
And scorching Southern California weather could lead to earlier fire season.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scorching
Adjective
-
More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
29 Dec. 2025
-
Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Its antenna is marked with charring and is missing a large chunk.—
Gonzalo Zegarra,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The finished pizza should have a thin crust with a puffy cornice around the edges, spotted with charring.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The multitude of water managers tasked with overseeing the drying Colorado River system stand at a dire crossroads.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
-
There are a few different ways to prepare raisins, from drying them in the sun to using a food dehydrator.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Gomes suggests grilling, baking, or pan-searing salmon (as well as other fish, such as cod or halibut) with olive oil, fresh herbs, and a generous squeeze of lemon to highlight its natural flavor.—
Randi Gollin,
Martha Stewart,
22 Apr. 2026
-
On a searing hot day in Mattiyarenthal, a village in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, women farmers toil over chile pepper plants as their sharp, pungent scent fills the air.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
El Niño features unusually hot ocean waters near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, along with significant changes to global weather patterns and the planet’s climate.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
That same trial found five minutes of daily steam inhalation produced real reductions in symptom burden — a hot shower works just as well for most people.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
The second is the storage vessel, which holds the molten lead and maintains its chemical conditioning during the initial filling process or when the facility is undergoing maintenance.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Apr. 2026
-
That person belongs to a different time, to a different town and to people who cannot be expected to remain the same, any more than the slopes of a volcano can be expected to still be molten rock an eon after the last eruption.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scorching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorching. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
