searing

adjective

sear·​ing ˈsir-iŋ How to pronounce searing (audio)
Synonyms of searingnext
1
: very hot
2
: marked by extreme intensity, harshness, or emotional power
searing pain
a searing review
a searing portrayal
searingly adverb

Synonyms of searing

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Examples of searing in a Sentence

the searing heat of the fire She felt a searing pain in her foot. She made a searing attack on her political enemies.
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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.
Severe infrastructure stress brought on by the searing heat has forced companies and policymakers to respond. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026 Miami set a second consecutive high temperature record on Friday afternoon with a searing high of 96. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 But just as staggering was one of the overnight lows, which dipped to only a searing 97 degrees F (36 degrees C)—a tie for the hottest low that the city’s ever seen, a record first set just three years ago. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 30 July 2026 But another breakdown, an hour west of Seligman, stranded me in the searing heat. — New York Times, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for searing

Word History

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of searing was in 1678

Rhymes for searing

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Browse Nearby Words

sea rim
searing
searingly
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Cite this Entry

“Searing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/searing. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on searing

Nglish: Translation of searing for Spanish Speakers

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