View synonyms for

searing

[ seer-ing ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

serving to burn or char the surface of something, especially of food in order to seal in the juices before cooking:
Sizzle the rump steak over white-hot coals, under a searing grill, or in a blistering griddle pan.
burning or scorching:
The charge exploded prematurely and the truck was engulfed in searing flames.
sharp, penetrating, and severe, like the feeling of being burned:
For weeks now I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night with searing pain in my ankles.
Her recent documentary was a searing indictment of the crimes of Stalinism.
withering or parching:
Grass that’s allowed to grow long is like a living mulch, protecting and shielding the root system from the searing heat of summer.
leaving a permanent emotional scar:
He was never to recover from the searing experience of what he saw in the war.

noun

the act of burning or charring the surface of something, especially of food:
The searing of the vegetables and meat should be done over a very hot burner and with excellent ventilation.
the act of branding or marking with a hot iron:
One of his arms was branded like that of a convict, the flesh still swollen from the searing of the iron.
the act of hardening or scarring emotionally, or the resulting condition:
Were it not for the searing of their conscience, they would realize that what they’re doing is wrong.
sharp, penetrating, severe pain:
I tried to ignore the searing in my muscles after hours of paddling against the current.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of searing¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; sear ¹( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; sear ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"RoboCop" is a searing indictment of Reaganism and a type of religious politics which claims that greed is good and is some type of salvation and eucharist.

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But Soboroff agreed to work for free after searing rebukes from Pacific Palisades residents and others.

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In searing speeches, Pabon and others excoriated the Trump administration, but also urged attendees to take action, saying that lawmakers needed to hear about their dire circumstances — and the consequences of inaction.

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Kilmer’s take on Morrison is wrapped in the singer’s own myth, and it’s a searing look at how destroying yourself for the sake of your work is not an inherently noble artistic cause.

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Never have I experienced a performance come into such searing retroactive focus.

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Related Words

sea return sea risk

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