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.
His actual name is Josimar José Évora Dias, named after the Brazilian fullback Josimar, whose blistering goals lit up the 1986 World Cup.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
U.S. stocks ended the week higher, despite a pullback in certain highflying areas of tech after a blistering rally.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 14, 2026
Four years later, he was at his blistering best, an unstoppable blend of pace, skill and ruthless finishing heralding him the best player on the planet.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
If the sector has any skeptics left after its blistering run, it’s those that think that at some point, tech stocks have gotten ahead of themselves.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
On the track, once the forum for rebellion, he displayed blistering speed and bulldog tenacity.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
