SCORCHING Synonyms: 129 Similar and Opposite Words

scorching 1 of 2

adjective

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scorching

2 of 2

verb

present participle of scorch

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

as in drying

to make dry weeks of drought had badly scorched the soil

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 scorching

Adjective

The mission will send a satellite to space and back to collect data on the scorching experience of reentering Earth's atmosphere. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026 This summer’s misery has been driven less by scorching afternoons than by record-warm nights and Miami-level humidity, according to scientist Daniel Swain. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 Warships, mammoth bones and parts of ancient constructions all have emerged from the slumping waters of the Danube, the Rhine and other rivers in the scorching drought that has also disrupted trade, power and water supplies. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 Enameled steel offers more design options but is prone to mineral buildup and scorching. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 The Palestinian boys and girls shout with delight at the bubbles floating in the scorching air of this hillside West Bank village. — Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026 This one from Carve Designs is built with high support padding to complement any water sport, plus UPF 50+ sun protection to combat scorching rays. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2026 On a scorching August afternoon in south Texas, Bekah Hinojosa, the co-founder of the South Texas Environmental Justice Center, blasts the A/C in her car. — August 17, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026 Many Jewish community and political leaders have criticized her scorching criticism of Israel and comments that many see as antisemitic. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026

Verb

Persistent drought and scorching heat this summer have ravaged ecosystems and businesses across the region, from a lake in Slovenia and the side channel of the Danube in Serbia, to fish farms in Bosnia, the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 While cooler fall days may be on the horizon, many students returning to school are still dealing with scorching end-of-summer temperatures. — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026 New grass fires have erupted east and south of Dallas on Thursday night as the massive Ross Fire continues to burn, scorching at least 85,000 acres and leaving cattle dead, officials and rescuers said. — S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 Summer has been scorching across California, with temperatures climbing as high as 110 degrees in some parts of the state. — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Stir and scrape the pan bottom frequently to prevent scorching. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026 Pyroclastic flows – fast-moving clouds of scorching gas, ash, and rock – could devastate territory near the caldera. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026 The event unfolded against the backdrop of scorching summer temperatures and wildfires, and Spanish officials rolled out a large public safety campaign. — Suman Naishadham, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026 The scorching temperatures and persistent droughts in June and July mutually reinforced each other to create a hot weather spiral, according to Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scorching

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

Verb

With that in mind, Le recommends flipping meat often to prevent charring.

— Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 7 Aug. 2026
Triple Char means that the barrels the bourbon was aged in were charred for three times as long as usual, which is supposed to bring out even more flavors from the wood (the charring process is really what makes bourbon bourbon, after all).

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 26 July 2026

Definition of charring

Verb

Determined to create a formula that wasn’t cakey, heavy, or drying, Brown infused her formula with hydrating ingredients.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026
The Audi pair almost had a similar problem when Gabriel Bortoleto spun on a greasy but drying track that also caught out and wrecked Verstappen on the opening lap.

— Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of drying

Adjective

Even with no rate increase, though, Tulsa electric bills would be spiking this year because of searing summer heat, with more than twice the average number of triple-digit days.

— Scott Horsley, NPR, 26 Aug. 2026
Clock hands circle predictably and calendar pages turn on schedule, but internally, within our bodies, minds and hearts, time is a whole different thing — discontinuous, wondrous, searing.

— Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of searing

Adjective

As seen above, even a hot pink top welcomes a playful edge to a classic plaid midi-skirt and chunky boots.

— India Roby, Glamour, 27 Aug. 2026
In May, officials in Kern County alone also reported a 42% loss in cherry production this year due to a hot stretch in March followed by April rain accounting for a total loss of more than $13 million for growers.

— Jonathan Destler, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of hot

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

These eruptions are cryovolcanic rather than conventional molten-rock eruptions.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
That electric arc generates enough heat to melt metal at a joint between two metal parts, which allows the two parts to be combined once the molten metal has solidified again.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of molten

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scorches

scorching

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“Scorching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorching. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of scorching

adjective

verb

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