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
Karla Radka,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Oh, and the win was the fourth consecutive victory for the scorching-hot Fever.
—
Alejandro Avila Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
The costumes can weigh up to fifty pounds, and in the scorching June heat of central Spain, temperatures easily climb above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
—
Catherine Tansey,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
Invest in blackout curtains to start, which will keep heat from traveling through your windows on those scorching days.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
15 June 2026
Tattoo artists, art vendors, food trucks and other booths filled two stories of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sacramento’s ballrooms, plus a decent section of its scorching parking lot.
—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
The Amazon Essentials Linen Pants are breezy enough for scorching afternoons, polished enough for dinner reservations, and comfortable enough to throw over a swimsuit after a beach day.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
After a scorching hot stint in the minor leagues, Twins infielder Royce Lewis has been working with former star Justin Morneau to learn the ins and outs of playing first base.
—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
The average temperatures during the summer weren't quite as scorching.
—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Backed by just a DJ (Dazedgxd, who opened the set) and a retina-scorching light rig up front, Jane acknowledged on Thursday that the stakes were getting much higher.
—
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Oklahoma’s bats remained scorching hot, racking up 12 hits - including five more home runs - and got a quality start from freshman Nick Wesloski.
—
Hunter Delauder,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s scorching offensive stretch is approaching a must-watch level.
—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
As with any outdoor activity in New Mexico, prepare for a harsh sun, alternately scorching heat or freezing cold depending on the season–this is desert–and potential dehydration.
—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Keeping fans cool When Levi’s Stadium first opened in 2014 as the new 49ers home venue, a lot was made of the sun scorching the eastern grandstands where the majority of seats are.
—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
Everyone knows that the South is notorious for scorching summers.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
Two cats were killed in a two-alarm fire in Berlin on Thursday that destroyed an historic home and may have been partially caused by scorching temperatures.
—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
Adjective
Central Floridians are about to feel the scorching rays of summer, and so are their air conditioning units, which will be working overtime to cool down homes during triple-digit blasts of heat.
—
Karla Radka,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Oh, and the win was the fourth consecutive victory for the scorching-hot Fever.
—
Alejandro Avila Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
The costumes can weigh up to fifty pounds, and in the scorching June heat of central Spain, temperatures easily climb above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
—
Catherine Tansey,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
Invest in blackout curtains to start, which will keep heat from traveling through your windows on those scorching days.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
15 June 2026
Tattoo artists, art vendors, food trucks and other booths filled two stories of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sacramento’s ballrooms, plus a decent section of its scorching parking lot.
—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
The Amazon Essentials Linen Pants are breezy enough for scorching afternoons, polished enough for dinner reservations, and comfortable enough to throw over a swimsuit after a beach day.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
After a scorching hot stint in the minor leagues, Twins infielder Royce Lewis has been working with former star Justin Morneau to learn the ins and outs of playing first base.
—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
The average temperatures during the summer weren't quite as scorching.
—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Verb
France put emergency services and military forces on wildfire alert, restricted public alcohol consumption and canceled some outdoor sports events to cope with a heat wave scorching parts of Europe.
—
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Backed by just a DJ (Dazedgxd, who opened the set) and a retina-scorching light rig up front, Jane acknowledged on Thursday that the stakes were getting much higher.
—
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Oklahoma’s bats remained scorching hot, racking up 12 hits - including five more home runs - and got a quality start from freshman Nick Wesloski.
—
Hunter Delauder,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s scorching offensive stretch is approaching a must-watch level.
—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
As with any outdoor activity in New Mexico, prepare for a harsh sun, alternately scorching heat or freezing cold depending on the season–this is desert–and potential dehydration.
—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Keeping fans cool When Levi’s Stadium first opened in 2014 as the new 49ers home venue, a lot was made of the sun scorching the eastern grandstands where the majority of seats are.
—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
Everyone knows that the South is notorious for scorching summers.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
Two cats were killed in a two-alarm fire in Berlin on Thursday that destroyed an historic home and may have been partially caused by scorching temperatures.
—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 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.
-
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.
Verb
-
Rather than charring corn on the grill, this recipe calls for wrapping the cobs in foil packets and cooking them on the grill.
-
Unexpectedly high degrees of charring on Orion's heat shield during that mission led engineers to alter the spacecraft's course to prevent a recurrence on Artemis 2, but, as is anything untested in space, there is always risk involved.
Verb
-
The assessment also confirmed a 100 percent reduction in water usage for the crops, a critical metric for water-stressed growing regions such as the Texas High Plains, which sits above the rapidly drying Ogallala Aquifer.
-
A lot of anti-aging skincare contains ingredients like retinol that can be drying and irritating, but Cetaphil has a possible solution.
Adjective
-
That has given players an opportunity to rest and recover ahead of the next fixture, but some of those games have taken place in searing heat, which will have had its effect on players, especially if they are not used to playing in that climate.
-
But the street parties also come after months of scrutiny as FIFA has faced searing criticism across the globe for soaring World Cup ticket prices.
Adjective
-
That’s why everything looks different in a cold pool versus a hot shower.
-
Either way, El Niño is likely to remain a hot topic throughout 2026.
Adjective
-
In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.
-
Some people drove or walked by, staring, and a video of the cross-burning gained traction online.
Adjective
-
The rhythm section is downright molten, an understated, earthy sway beneath Davis’ soaring melodies.
-
Ready in just 30 minutes, this skillet cookie stars a molten center and crispy edges thanks to being baked a cast-iron skillet.
Cite this Entry
“Scorching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorching. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
