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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Kite Runner
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: September 25 - October 1, 2017
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The blistering stock market rally will be tested next week when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the jobs report on Friday.
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
Nvidia, which sells both CPUs and GPUs, reported fresh records for revenue and income last week, thanks to blistering demand.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Consequently there was an air of acceptance of their fate among the fans in the hours before kick-off, as they instead opted to enjoy the blistering heat rather than mull over a campaign of disappointment.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
Many giant exoplanets discovered beyond our solar system are "hot Jupiters," worlds that circle very close to their stars and reach blistering temperatures of thousands of degrees.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2026
Edward turned on her in fury, his voice a blistering snarl.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
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.
