as in burning
to set (something) on fire
police suspect that the owner torched the house for the insurance money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 torching
After torching the Cavs in the fourth quarter and overtime of Game 1, Jalen Brunson turned into much more of a facilitator.
—
Zach Harper, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Continue reading … LEFT'S CIVIL WAR — 'Pro-capitalist' Fetterman names names, torching fellow Dems as extremists.
—FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
But Thunder reserve guard Isaiah Joe, who had been relatively quiet after torching the Lakers from long range during the regular season (12 for 17 from 3-point range in their final two matchups), made consecutive 3-pointers to give the Thunder a 90-79 cushion entering the fourth quarter.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
After torching Atlanta to close out the series, the Knicks blew out the Philadelphia 76ers in Game One of the next round.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 May 2026
Underlying tensions are taut, Iran thinks the US blockade is a violation, the UAE is still smarting from Iranian missile attacks Monday and Tuesday, and Israel is torching a key plank of the ceasefire deal, re-escalating in Lebanon by bombing Hezbollah leaders.
—Jennifer Hansler, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The issue seemed minute on Monday, with Brunson torching the 76ers en route to an eight-point advantage at the end of the first period.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026
Carter, who appeared in only 27 of Sacramento’s first 71 games this season, went 11 of 18 from the field and 6 of 11 from 3-point range, torching a Golden State squad that didn’t want him last summer when the Kings and Warriors discussed a trade for Jonathan Kuminga.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026
Just last week, two men and a teenager were arrested for allegedly torching ambulances operated by a Jewish community service in northwest London.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2026
Zach Harper, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Continue reading … LEFT'S CIVIL WAR — 'Pro-capitalist' Fetterman names names, torching fellow Dems as extremists.
—FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
But Thunder reserve guard Isaiah Joe, who had been relatively quiet after torching the Lakers from long range during the regular season (12 for 17 from 3-point range in their final two matchups), made consecutive 3-pointers to give the Thunder a 90-79 cushion entering the fourth quarter.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
After torching Atlanta to close out the series, the Knicks blew out the Philadelphia 76ers in Game One of the next round.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 May 2026
Underlying tensions are taut, Iran thinks the US blockade is a violation, the UAE is still smarting from Iranian missile attacks Monday and Tuesday, and Israel is torching a key plank of the ceasefire deal, re-escalating in Lebanon by bombing Hezbollah leaders.
—Jennifer Hansler, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The issue seemed minute on Monday, with Brunson torching the 76ers en route to an eight-point advantage at the end of the first period.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026
Carter, who appeared in only 27 of Sacramento’s first 71 games this season, went 11 of 18 from the field and 6 of 11 from 3-point range, torching a Golden State squad that didn’t want him last summer when the Kings and Warriors discussed a trade for Jonathan Kuminga.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026
Just last week, two men and a teenager were arrested for allegedly torching ambulances operated by a Jewish community service in northwest London.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torching
Verb
-
News agencies ran photographs of individuals burning piles of documents both inside the prison and in its grounds, sometimes simply to warm themselves against the cold weather, unaware of their value.—
Amer Matar,
The Dial,
26 May 2026
-
Industrial heat typically involves generating steam or high-temperature output—ranging from roughly 100°C to 500°C—by burning fossil fuels on-site.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
As a scorching wind tears across the barren, rocky slopes of Komote Island off the shore of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya, Alfred Lenkutuk sits in the meager shelter of his hut, gazing out over the village where he was born and remembering better times.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
31 May 2026
-
Palo Alto and CrowdStrike have been scorching hot — as mentioned earlier — so expectations are elevated into the release.—
Paulina Likos,Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Trump has effectively imposed a fuel blockade on the island by threatening tariffs on countries supplying it with fuel, igniting seemingly endless power outages and delivering new blows to the island's already ailing economy.—
Phil Stewart,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
-
Video of the incident shows the engines apparently igniting, followed by flames shooting up the rocket’s exterior.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torching. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
