as in burning
to set (something) on fire
police suspect that the owner torched the house for the insurance money
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Recent Examples of torching
Locals and tourists took shelter across Mexico amid a wave of retaliatory violence after government forces killed a powerful cartel leader, with gunmen blocking highways and torching cars.
—
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Is there a more perfect image for the Valentine’s Day hater than Angela Bassett torching her cheating husband’s car and strutting away with the fiercest look ever committed to screen?
—New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Atwood was firing back at would-be book-burners by torching an unburnable edition.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
The Jayhawks won despite TCU torching the KU defense for 15 made 3s on 35 attempts.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
The trial for New Jersey businessman Paul Caneiro for allegedly murdering four family members and torching two homes — including his own — is set to begin Monday.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
There were burned and vacant buildings nearby; landlords had been accused of torching properties, even with tenants inside, to get insurance payouts.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 2 Jan. 2026
Cultural institutions, including Chhayanaut and Udichi Shilpi Goshthi, were also vandalized as groups moved through parts of the city, torching buildings and damaging property.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 30 Dec. 2025
The military has been documented going on bloody rampages, torching and bombing villages, massacring residents, jailing opponents and forcing young men and women to join the army.
—Ross Adkin, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Is there a more perfect image for the Valentine’s Day hater than Angela Bassett torching her cheating husband’s car and strutting away with the fiercest look ever committed to screen?
—New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Atwood was firing back at would-be book-burners by torching an unburnable edition.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
The Jayhawks won despite TCU torching the KU defense for 15 made 3s on 35 attempts.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
The trial for New Jersey businessman Paul Caneiro for allegedly murdering four family members and torching two homes — including his own — is set to begin Monday.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
There were burned and vacant buildings nearby; landlords had been accused of torching properties, even with tenants inside, to get insurance payouts.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 2 Jan. 2026
Cultural institutions, including Chhayanaut and Udichi Shilpi Goshthi, were also vandalized as groups moved through parts of the city, torching buildings and damaging property.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 30 Dec. 2025
The military has been documented going on bloody rampages, torching and bombing villages, massacring residents, jailing opponents and forcing young men and women to join the army.
—Ross Adkin, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torching
Verb
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The violence captured on cellphone videos and shared around the globe – buses burning, gas stations attacked, military helicopters flying overhead – wasn’t just happening in remote rural towns long plagued by drug violence.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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The family has been relying on their wood-burning stove to keep warm.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And, yes, Jung is scorching balls out of the gate.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
22 Feb. 2026
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The Ranger Road megafire is the largest, scorching more than 283,000 acres in Oklahoma and Kansas — an area nearly twice the size of Chicago.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The steam drives the engine’s turbopumps, while the oxygen combusts with the kerosene, with the mixture igniting spontaneously.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Feb. 2026
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His father shone a spotlight on lunar exploration for Petro, igniting his desire to help solve the moon’s biggest mysteries.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torching. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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