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
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
Jamal Murray has been torching opposing defenses, and Nikola Jokić is dropping dimes left and right.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
And the other option is to target Iranian energy infrastructure, which could result in Iran retaliating against the Gulf states and torching the entire regional infrastructure.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
On Monday, the group claimed credit for torching four ambulances at a Jewish community rescue service outside the Machzike Hadath synagogue in London.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2026
Videos posted online showed settlers torching cars and buildings, with at least 10 Palestinians reported injured, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2026
And Kara Dunn, who played Clemson while at Georgia Tech, has actual experience torching the Tigers.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
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
With Ball torching the nets to the tune of 37 points on the strength of canning 12 of 20 attempts, including going 10 of 15 beyond the 3-point arc, and sparking impressive showings from Kon Knueppel (28 points) and Brandon Miller (22), the Wizards were no match for the Hornets.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2026
Jamal Murray has been torching opposing defenses, and Nikola Jokić is dropping dimes left and right.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
And the other option is to target Iranian energy infrastructure, which could result in Iran retaliating against the Gulf states and torching the entire regional infrastructure.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
On Monday, the group claimed credit for torching four ambulances at a Jewish community rescue service outside the Machzike Hadath synagogue in London.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2026
Videos posted online showed settlers torching cars and buildings, with at least 10 Palestinians reported injured, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2026
And Kara Dunn, who played Clemson while at Georgia Tech, has actual experience torching the Tigers.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
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
With Ball torching the nets to the tune of 37 points on the strength of canning 12 of 20 attempts, including going 10 of 15 beyond the 3-point arc, and sparking impressive showings from Kon Knueppel (28 points) and Brandon Miller (22), the Wizards were no match for the Hornets.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torching
Verb
-
The group then sprang into action, rushing to pull them from the burning vehicle and extinguish the flames.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Dinner is focused around a large wood burning oven, putting out deliciously charred meats and veggies, and there’s a vibrant after-work drinks scene that always has this place pumping.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 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
Verb
-
The hammer caused a firing pin to strike the base of a cartridge, igniting the primer and firing the bullet.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The highly controversial policy is igniting a flurry of comments both for and against the new rules.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torching. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
