scorched 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of scorchednext
as in burned

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scorched

2 of 2

verb

past tense of scorch
1
as in charred
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 dried
to make dry weeks of drought had badly scorched the soil

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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 scorched
Adjective
If possible, wait until the extreme temperatures cool to apply pesticides that can cause scorched leaves. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 20 June 2026 Later the day of the arson, a young man with scorched hands faced an FBI agent and others investigating the crime. — Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
Two people injured in the sprawling Bug Fire that has scorched nearly 90,000 acres in Lassen and Sierra counties and northern Nevada were flown Thursday to a Sacramento burn center, Lassen County Sheriff’s Office said. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2026 The fire began Sunday morning in the Los Padres National Forest southeast of the neighborhood of Loma Vista and quickly scorched 400 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scorched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scorched
  1. burned
  2. charred
  3. dried
  4. seared
  5. incinerated
  6. scorching
Adjective
  • Designed to function like an ice resurfacer, BurnBot lays down pre-burned paths that define the boundaries of burn areas.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Nov. 2025
  • Yeager said none of the non-burned areas of the facility have been turned on again.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Definition of burned
Verb
  • Add the lemon halves, cut-sides down, and cook until charred on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • San Diego Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Dan Eddy said the fire began in a canyon area near where a brush fire in June had charred about 90 acres.
    — Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of charred
Verb
  • Lucarelli took a deep breath and dried the sweat off his hands.
    — Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • This detangler spray works overtime as a heat protectant, frizz fighter, hydrator, and shine enhancer to turn wet or towel-dried hair into soft, smooth locks.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of dried
Adjective
  • Originating in London, Steak Diane is a pan-seared steak topped with a flambéed cream and cognac sauce, that became a staple dish in the 1960s and 1970s across the United States.
    — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2026
  • These mouthwatering short ribs are pan-seared until caramelized and then braised in a savory red wine sauce.
    — Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of seared
Adjective
  • Grace, her white lace dress blackened with blood, is smoking a cigarette outside of an incinerated mansion that belongs to her in-laws, the Le Domas, who are all dead.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Know More Initially founded in 2012 with a $5 million dollar grant from the John Templeton Foundation, Nautilus incinerated cash, sparing no expense in its pursuit of bringing resplendent literary science to the reading public.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of incinerated
Adjective
  • 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, 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
Definition of scorching

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Cite this Entry

“Scorched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scorched. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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