scorched; scorching; scorches
1
: to burn a surface of so as to change its color and texture
2
a
: to dry or shrivel with or as if with intense heat : parch
b
: to afflict painfully with censure or sarcasm
3
: devastate
especially
: to destroy (something, such as property of possible use to an advancing enemy) before abandoning
—used in the phrase scorched earth
1
: to become scorched
2
: to travel at great and usually excessive speed
3
: to cause intense heat or mental anguish
scorching sun
scorching fury
1
: a result of scorching
2
: a browning of plant tissues usually from disease or heat
Synonyms
Examples of scorch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Leilani Marie Labong, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
In 2022 in New Mexico, two prescribed burns got out of control, merged and scorched an area larger than Los Angeles.
—ProPublica, 16 Mar. 2024
The extreme fire danger includes areas scorched by the Smokehouse Creek Fire.
—Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
Be sure to toast the flour carefully and slowly while watching for color changes so the flour does not scorch.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024
Canada experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2023, with flames scorching more than 18 million hectares (44.5 million acres) — more than double the previous record.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
Despite scorching the nets, the Jayhawks had no separation.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024
As the fire scorched the area, all these materials sunk into the muddy river water below.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024
During a live view of entry, a glowing red halo could be seen around Starship, indicating the scorching temperatures its heat shield faced.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Katherine Owen, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2024
The common signs of drought and heat stress are wilting, drying or browning leaves, sun scorch on branches and trunks, and an overall look of dehydration.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
Slow cookers with high heat were monitored for heat consistency and food scorches.
—Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2023
The heat and drought put a major stress on trees and the summer sun scorches moisture from soil, burns leaves and dries out roots.
—Adithi Ramakrishnan, Dallas News, 14 Sep. 2023
Morning traffic returned without much fanfare Monday to the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, propped up by a series of temporary shoring structures and still bearing black scorch marks from the massive fire that burned under the overpass this month.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023
This would be consistent with a rocket approaching from the southwest, as rockets scorch and damage the earth on approach to the ground.
—Paul P. Murphy, CNN, 21 Oct. 2023
In any case, at such a short range — less than 10 miles — the missile is most likely to have landed with unspent fuel in its rocket motor, which would detonate or burn upon impact, offering a possible explanation for the widespread scorch marks at the market.
—Alexander Cardia, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
Washington’s heat only grazed the heights of scorch on Saturday, but the humidity helped the day approach the state of a significant summer swelter.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 16 July 2023
Emily Heil, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
Thursday, Latin Academy at No. 18 Archbishop Williams, 3:30 p.m. — Standout pitcher Alanis Toledano and the Dragons travel to Braintree to battle a scorching-hot Bishops offense, averaging over 18 runs a game.
—Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Apr. 2023
So consider adding some low-maintenance options that will survive the scorching temps to come.
—Ryan Conner, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
Recently, the moderate Third Way think tank published a scorching analysis laying out how a third-party candidacy would lead to another Trump presidency.
—Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 28 Mar. 2023
Protect your scalp from the scorching sun and your face from a burn with the Fancet Packable Straw Fedora, which comes in four adjustable sizes and 10 colors.
—Jill Schildhouse, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2023
Payton Smith Payton Smith La Jolla Girls track Off to a scorching start, the Vikings’ junior captured the 200 (24.08 seconds) and 400-meter (54.85 seconds) dashes at the Mt. Carmel Invitational.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023
Duluth may offer an escape from scorching temperatures, but its winters are long and gray.
—Debra Kamin, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023
The Blue Demons are a scorching 14-of-18 from the field.
—Adam Baum, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2023
Verb
While the burn zone is off-limits for the foreseeable future, scorched earth spans both sides — mauka to makai, or mountain to ocean — of West Maui’s Lahaina Bypass Road and Route 30, a cataclysmic contrast to that 19th-century utopia.
—Leilani Marie Labong, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
In 2022 in New Mexico, two prescribed burns got out of control, merged and scorched an area larger than Los Angeles.
—ProPublica, 16 Mar. 2024
The extreme fire danger includes areas scorched by the Smokehouse Creek Fire.
—Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024
Be sure to toast the flour carefully and slowly while watching for color changes so the flour does not scorch.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024
Canada experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2023, with flames scorching more than 18 million hectares (44.5 million acres) — more than double the previous record.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
Despite scorching the nets, the Jayhawks had no separation.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024
As the fire scorched the area, all these materials sunk into the muddy river water below.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024
During a live view of entry, a glowing red halo could be seen around Starship, indicating the scorching temperatures its heat shield faced.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Noun
Your countertop may require occasional sanding and resurfacing to remove scorch marks, dings, and scratches.
—Katherine Owen, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2024
The common signs of drought and heat stress are wilting, drying or browning leaves, sun scorch on branches and trunks, and an overall look of dehydration.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
Slow cookers with high heat were monitored for heat consistency and food scorches.
—Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2023
The heat and drought put a major stress on trees and the summer sun scorches moisture from soil, burns leaves and dries out roots.
—Adithi Ramakrishnan, Dallas News, 14 Sep. 2023
Morning traffic returned without much fanfare Monday to the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, propped up by a series of temporary shoring structures and still bearing black scorch marks from the massive fire that burned under the overpass this month.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023
This would be consistent with a rocket approaching from the southwest, as rockets scorch and damage the earth on approach to the ground.
—Paul P. Murphy, CNN, 21 Oct. 2023
In any case, at such a short range — less than 10 miles — the missile is most likely to have landed with unspent fuel in its rocket motor, which would detonate or burn upon impact, offering a possible explanation for the widespread scorch marks at the market.
—Alexander Cardia, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
Washington’s heat only grazed the heights of scorch on Saturday, but the humidity helped the day approach the state of a significant summer swelter.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 16 July 2023
Verb
That swirling cloud of steam worthy of a Vegas-residency show, that pop-pop-sizzle of meat and onions against scorching-hot cast iron.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
Thursday, Latin Academy at No. 18 Archbishop Williams, 3:30 p.m. — Standout pitcher Alanis Toledano and the Dragons travel to Braintree to battle a scorching-hot Bishops offense, averaging over 18 runs a game.
—Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Apr. 2023
So consider adding some low-maintenance options that will survive the scorching temps to come.
—Ryan Conner, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
Recently, the moderate Third Way think tank published a scorching analysis laying out how a third-party candidacy would lead to another Trump presidency.
—Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 28 Mar. 2023
Protect your scalp from the scorching sun and your face from a burn with the Fancet Packable Straw Fedora, which comes in four adjustable sizes and 10 colors.
—Jill Schildhouse, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2023
Payton Smith Payton Smith La Jolla Girls track Off to a scorching start, the Vikings’ junior captured the 200 (24.08 seconds) and 400-meter (54.85 seconds) dashes at the Mt. Carmel Invitational.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023
Duluth may offer an escape from scorching temperatures, but its winters are long and gray.
—Debra Kamin, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023
The Blue Demons are a scorching 14-of-18 from the field.
—Adam Baum, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scorch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English; probably akin to Middle English scorcnen to become singed, scorklen to parch
Verb (2)
Middle English, perhaps blend of scoren to score and scocchen to scotch
First Known Use
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of scorch was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing scorch
Dictionary Entries Near scorch
Cite this Entry
“Scorch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scorch. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
scorch
1 of 2 verb1
: to burn on the surface
2
: to burn so as to dry, wilt, or turn brown
scorch
2 of 2 noun1
: a result of scorching
2
: a browning of plant tissues usually caused by disease or heat
More from Merriam-Webster on scorch
Nglish: Translation of scorch for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of scorch for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scorch
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