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

These were classic symptoms of fear — or in my case, a searing crush on an amazing woman.

From Salon

While some of that language must be required by an exhausted legal team behind the scenes, the long-running satirical cartoon is known for pressing hot-button topics and rapidly churning out searing parodies.

From Los Angeles Times

FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, one of three commissioners, and the only Democratic member, released a searing statement the next day.

From Los Angeles Times

The album comes to its searing, anthemic conclusion with “Frozen Love.”

From Salon

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

Related Words

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