1
as in boiling
having a notably high temperature
in our air-conditioned office, we were oblivious to the searing heat outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harsh
difficult to endure
the undersecretary looked chastened as he listened to the congressman's searing rebuke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in drying
to make dry
the clear desert air is seared by the summer sun
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of searing
Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
There are no national – or local – media outlets setting up for live broadcasts on this searing hot afternoon.
—Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 3 Feb. 2026
The ban might deliver some truly valuable benefits, letting youthful missteps remain local and ephemeral, rather than searing permanent brands onto developing psyches, and giving young people more time to develop the in-person social skills and connections that make life meaningful.
—Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for searing
Adjective
But as Lumpkin sat at the defense table, the victim’s family delivered searing statements that undercut her long-standing claims of abuse, portraying her instead as a calculating, coldblooded killer.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
There are no national – or local – media outlets setting up for live broadcasts on this searing hot afternoon.
—Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
Designed to provide steady, even heat to transform tough cuts of meat and hearty vegetables, this braiser has a wide base that allows ingredients to be placed in a single layer for searing without crowding.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 3 Feb. 2026
The ban might deliver some truly valuable benefits, letting youthful missteps remain local and ephemeral, rather than searing permanent brands onto developing psyches, and giving young people more time to develop the in-person social skills and connections that make life meaningful.
—Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for searing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for searing
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
Adjective
-
His team, which includes his advisor Atsushi Shirane and Masaya Miyahara of Japan’s High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), is aiming to develop a wireless system for controlling robots in this harsh environment.—
Katherine Bourzac,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Items that are wind-resistant and waterproof will be good for use in many harsh weather conditions in which the user would need protection.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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 results could one day help mitigate the problem of toxic dust spewing from the drying lake bed onto Salt Lake City—the Great Salt Lake’s bed is laced with arsenic, a toxic substance that, when people are exposed to it as dust, may cause cancers, respiratory problems and heart disease.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Alcohol can be stinging and drying to the skin.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 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
-
But the timing of this meltdown was brutal.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Orlando City heads west after a two-week break, trying to snap out of a brutal early-season slump, but the Lions face a steep climb against a Los Angeles FC squad that hasn’t conceded a goal this year.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
Adjective
-
The play, like the movie, is loosely based on a robbery that took place in 1972, on a boiling-hot August day, when an eccentric, deep-in-debt Vietnam veteran named John Wojtowicz entered a Chase bank in Brooklyn with a gun and two accomplices, hoping for a quick score.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
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Rather than offering just the standard facials and massages (which are also on the menu), the spa has red and blue light therapy and a treatment where guests can alternate between a hot sauna and a cold plunge.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Searing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/searing. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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