searing

[seer-ing]

adjective

1. 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.

2. burning or scorching.

   The charge exploded prematurely and the truck was engulfed in searing flames.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. leaving a permanent emotional scar.

   He was never to recover from the searing experience of what he saw in the war.

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. sharp, penetrating, severe pain.

   I tried to ignore the searing in my muscles after hours of paddling against the current.

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

Example Sentences

In Sudan, Yousuf said smugglers left his group for a month in the desert enduring searing hot days and bitter cold nights surviving on meagre rations of rice and contaminated water.

From BBC

It can be breathy and ethereal or a searing flamethrower — and she transforms into an angelic chorus of one when she tracks layers of her own harmonies.

From Los Angeles Times

After one of the most searing assassinations in US history, the governor of Utah pleaded for Americans to turn down the political temperature.

From BBC

While grey clouds protected athletes somewhat from the searing heat which has led to Japan experiencing its warmest summer on record, the athletes still had to endure extremely challenging conditions.

From BBC

After the years of raw, emotional media appearances, the Netflix documentary series, the searing criticism of the royal family in his memoir Spare, this was a different Prince Harry in front of the cameras.

From BBC

Related Words

• baking 
• blazing 
• blistering 
• fiery 
• incandescent 
• scalding www.thesaurus.com
• scorching 
• sizzling 
• sweltering 
• torrid