blistering
Americanadjective
-
(of weather) extremely hot
-
(of criticism) extremely harsh
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of blistering
Explanation
Use the adjective blistering to mean extremely hot. You might love living in Georgia, except for the blistering heat in the summer time. A baker has to remove her loaves of bread carefully from the oven because of the blistering heat. You can also use blistering to mean a different kind of heat: "Her blistering criticism took him by surprise." Or a racer might set out on a track at a blistering pace, one that's incredibly fast or impressive. The original, hot meaning of blistering comes from the idea that something is "hot enough to form blisters."
Vocabulary lists containing blistering
The Sweltering Words of Summer
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The Kite Runner
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This Week in Words: September 25 - October 1, 2017
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Warsh—who had long leaned toward a hawkish anti-inflation stance—warned presciently that the Fed’s intensive efforts to support the economy could give rise to blistering inflation down the road.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Last Thursday, Disney sent a blistering letter to the FCC, challenging its inquiry on “The View.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
Beijing and Washington had been locked in a blistering trade war in which US levies on many Chinese goods reached an eye-watering 145 percent.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
To be taken seriously and stand out in a crowded field, blistering, often unhinged takes are mandatory, and journalistic norms have little relevance.
From Slate • May 6, 2026
He was blistering in his intelligence and blistering in his self-regard.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
