as in boiling
having a notably high temperature
we keep indoors as much as possible during the day so as to avoid the scorching summer heat
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in charring
to burn on the surface
the picnickers kept scorching their marshmallows, deliberately sticking their skewers into the licking flames of the campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in drying
to make dry
weeks of drought had badly scorched the soil
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scorching
Vogue, 31 Dec. 2025
That championship offers tremendous hope in an increasingly scorching world.
—New Atlas, 29 Dec. 2025
Three men fall under her spell during the film, which also includes scenes of her undressing and a scorching sequence that has her dancing barefoot and drunk to calypso music.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 28 Dec. 2025
Take advantage of the scorching, sunny days in late spring or summer by wringing out excess water and placing your drying rack outside in direct sunlight.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
The world, TOI-561b, is a small, scorching lava planet that orbits one of the oldest stars in the Milky Way so closely that its year lasts less than a single Earth day.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Led by a scorching start from Nolan Trottier, Middleboro (2-1) jumped out to an early lead.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
While the desert is often known for its scorching temperatures, freezing temperatures are still possible in the winter months.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 3 Dec. 2025
Although volcanism on Earth is traditionally associated with scorching lava and fiery eruptions, cryovolcanism essentially operates similarly, but with the opposite materials.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Dec. 2025
Jack Bantock, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
As scorching sunshine gives way to dusk, enthusiastic attendees transition from waiting in clusters to jumping in anticipation of the pop-rock superstar’s appearance.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025
But another scorching Florida summer brought complaints about a lack of shade and long wait times, as Universal worked to get the park running at full capacity.
—Robert Niles, Oc Register, 23 Dec. 2025
Sharpe has been lighting it up from 3-point range over the past three games, shooting a scorching 75% from beyond the arc.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 18 Dec. 2025
Bucking the trend of throat-scorching Asian cuisines like Szechuan and Esan, its dishes are centered around meat, wheat, and pickled vegetables.
—Andrea Strong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Dec. 2025
This prevents the paprika from scorching and turning bitter.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Tips To Keep Your Pans Clean Longer Monitor your pans closely while cooking to avoid scorching food.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2025
But the Heat found its rhythm as the game went on, shooting a scorching 26 of 34 for the rest of the first half to flip the script and enter halftime with 72-65 lead.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Set amid the scorching oil fields of West Texas, Landman is filled with misogyny and misaligned masculinity.
—Verb
When Liverpool and Arsenal last met, in late August, a scorching late Dominik Szoboszlai free kick saw the reigning champions strike an ominous early blow in the title race, jumping three points ahead of their London rivals.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for scorching
Adjective
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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.—
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One idea is that about a million years after the Big Bang, the universe cooled and underwent a phase transition, an event similar to how boiling water turns liquid into gas.—
Verb
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Five years ago, the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome wildfires ripped through Colorado’s northern mountains, charring more than 620 square miles across watersheds that provide water for hundreds of thousands of people who live along the Front Range.—
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By charring scallions and searing steak in the same skillet, every bite builds layers of savory, smoky flavor.—
Verb
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Spanx elevates its plain T-shirt by making it out of a buttery-soft, stretchable fabric that is moisture-wicking and quick-drying.—
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Vinegar can be drying, so remember to condition leather to keep it supple.—
Adjective
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Sophomore Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser, whose searing opening monologue had everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio to Julia Roberts taking jabs in stride.—
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For the ceremony, Lawrence wore a searing red gown designed by Raf Simons during his stint at the house of Dior.—
Adjective
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The layered neckline, with the bust peeking out from behind, imitates this season's hottest red carpet trend, the semi-visible bra.—
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The cameras were on and the mic was hot when Johnson rallied his team in the locker room following a 31-27 comeback victory.—
Adjective
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Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
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Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Adjective
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The last eruption, in 1988, buried the surrounding coral beds in molten rock.—
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Together, the solid ceramic and molten salt let the battery pair a highly reactive sodium‑metal anode with a cheap, rugged cathode mixture while still moving ions fast enough for practical power output.—
Cite this Entry
“Scorching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorching. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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