searing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsir-iŋ How to pronounce searing (audio)
Definition of searingnext
1
as in boiling
having a notably high temperature in our air-conditioned office, we were oblivious to the searing heat outside

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2
as in harsh
difficult to endure the undersecretary looked chastened as he listened to the congressman's searing rebuke

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searing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sear
1
as in charring
to burn on the surface lightly sear the steaks, but don't cook them all the way through

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2
as in drying
to make dry the clear desert air is seared by the summer sun

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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 searing
Adjective
Wide swaths of California will face searing temperatures over the weekend, with forecasters issuing a heat advisory for non-coastal areas and warning about the risk of adverse fire weather. — Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 Arguably the highest-profile contract cancellation for Flock came when the Los Angeles Police Department decided to non-renew its years-long contract with the company, a decision motivated by a searing internal audit of the company’s technology. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
Even for a party accustomed to searing debates between progressives and moderates, the schism over Israel has been blistering. — Steve Peoples, Fortune, 24 June 2026 Right now, everything was an eye-searing neon yellow. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for searing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for searing
  1. boiling
  2. harsh
  3. charring
  4. drying
  5. burning
  6. brutal
  7. scorching
  8. hot
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
Definition of boiling
Adjective
  • The plan would sanction top Russian leaders and introduce harsh new penalties on nations that purchase oil and natural gas from Russia.
    — Claudia Grisales, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Lebson and Richards ⁠denied that ​allegation, saying that Robert Gilman was held in extremely harsh conditions, tortured and injected with mind-altering drugs by guards, treatment ​that led to his transfer to the civilian hospital.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of harsh
Verb
  • With that in mind, Le recommends flipping meat often to prevent charring.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Triple Char means that the barrels the bourbon was aged in were charred for three times as long as usual, which is supposed to bring out even more flavors from the wood (the charring process is really what makes bourbon bourbon, after all).
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 26 July 2026
Definition of charring
Verb
  • That means my greasy microfiber cloths do get washed with my cotton drying towels, along with oven mitts, linen napkins, and the seat pads for my counter stools (my kids somehow manage to trash them every week).
    — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Set Sticky Traps If drying the soil and using apple cider vinegar don’t work, consider using sticky traps like BioCare Gnat Stix.
    — Leah Chester-Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of drying
Adjective
  • Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Definition of burning
Adjective
  • His brutal murder in Culiacán, the capital of the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa, happened in just a few seconds on Tuesday in front of an audience of thousands of social media users watching his TikTok stream.
    — Rey Rodríguez, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Deliberate exposure is a brutal test — in this trial, 81% of the placebo group got sick, experiencing diarrhea and fever in some cases before receiving antibiotics.
    — Joseph Kim, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of brutal
Verb
  • The scorching temperatures and persistent droughts in June and July mutually reinforced each other to create a hot weather spiral, according to Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Offering optimal freedom of movement and endless styling, the Lomon Wide-leg Capri Pants instantly elevate any outfit while keeping you cool and comfortable on scorching travel days when any other bottoms start to cling.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of scorching
Adjective
  • The latest scorcher comes after Western Europe recorded its hottest June and July on record, according to Copernicus, the European Union’s climate monitor.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In 2012, American entrepreneur Christopher Burch and hot-shot hotelier James McBride took over and zhuzhed it up to the tune of 30 million dollars, launching Nihi into the league of one-percenter hideaways.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of hot

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Cite this Entry

“Searing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/searing. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of searing for Spanish Speakers

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