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
What followed was a horrific night of physical and mental spousal abuse, which Adams describes in searing, emotional prose. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026 Artificial, which arrives in theaters on Christmas, may be the most searing of the lot. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
Amid searing personal grief, survivors describe a grandfather juggling sorrow and his traumatized granddaughter, and a second-grade teacher who phoned parents to save pupils before dying with eight children in a prayer room. — Amir Vahdat, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 The placement of Cruz and Bardem in key moments against an eye-searing firetruck red kitchen wall is highly effective. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 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
  • However, perovskites are notoriously vulnerable to moisture and harsh chemical environments, posing a clear problem in seawater.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • With another harsh winter approaching, those still there face death from hunger or disease.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of harsh
Verb
  • Authorities spotted a woman walking between a vehicle and a nearby pole, which showed signs of charring and smelled of gasoline.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But the Track Fire had interrupted this picturesque scene, charring the thick tree trunks that peppered the canyon wall in New Mexico.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of charring
Verb
  • Rising temperatures caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels have increased the rate at which the atmosphere pulls moisture from the land, drying soils and vegetation.
    — Virginia Iglesias, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2026
  • And earlier this year, scientists at Pennsylvania State University developed a novel conductive ink that can be painted directly onto the skin in colorful custom designs, turning into a functional electrode for biomonitoring after drying.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 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
  • This version, though, is brutal, his voice acerbic and his guitar serrated.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2026
  • And through eight games this season, those two words have defined the majority of the third-year wing’s experience on the court for the Chicago Bulls, who are 1-7 after a brutal trio of road losses in the last week.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of brutal
Verb
  • Perilous jungles, scorching deserts and frozen tundra slowed him down, but bureaucratic holdups brought his adventure to a halt for long periods.
    — Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Perilous jungles, scorching deserts and frozen tundra slowed him down, but bureaucratic red tape often brought his adventure to a halt for long periods.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of scorching
Adjective
  • Across living spaces, clean doorknobs and light switches, vacuum carpets thoroughly and sweep then mop hard floors with hot soapy water.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Long story short, campers stay warmer on cold nights and cooler on hot nights without a loud, emissions-spewing engine or generator running in the background.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 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 7 Nov. 2026.

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