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.
Blistering knocks by skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan led India to a crushing seven-wicket win over New Zealand on Friday, giving them a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.
From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026
Blistering summer heat and earlier, warmer springs have wiped out crops, including several plots of tomatoes, peppers, and cantaloupes.
From Salon • Jul. 18, 2024
Blistering summers have fueled innovations across a wide array of consumer products and wearables.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 11, 2023
Blistering triple-digit temperatures are forecast across the state.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 14, 2023
Blistering and firing are the most important methods of treatment.
From Common Diseases of Farm Animals by Craig, R. A., D. V. M.
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.
