singe

1 of 2

verb

singed; singeing ˈsin-jiŋ How to pronounce singe (audio)

transitive verb

: to burn superficially or lightly : scorch
especially : to remove the hair, down, or fuzz from usually by passing rapidly over a flame

singe

2 of 2

noun

: a slight burn : scorch

Examples of singe in a Sentence

Verb The wood was singed by the candle. the marshmallows got a bit singed over the campfire, but we like them that way
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The town's historic banyan tree was singed in the blaze. Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2023 The only major injury was proprietor J.M. Wilkins, who ran to safety with his beard and hair singed, and minor injuries to his hands and lungs. Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Apr. 2023 On the opposite wall from the window, the police saw another mason jar with the lid on and a blue cloth tucked into the top, and the cloth was singed. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 29 Mar. 2023 However, there was one major casualty that will raise (and singe) some eyebrows. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2022 That Galás’ singing on albums and in concert can cut and singe is a matter of record. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Nov. 2022 In a feat of literary alchemy, Kingsolver uses the fire of that boy’s spirit to illuminate — and singe — the darkest recesses of our country. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2022 The spicy chicken has just enough of a buffalo-like kick to singe the tongue but is mellowed with a creamy side sauce of garlic, bell pepper, habanero, jalapeno, mayo and a secret seasoning mix. Kendyl Kearly, Baltimore Sun, 19 Sep. 2022 Cut clothesline into pieces to fit your design, and singe the ends of each piece to prevent fraying. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2022
Noun
America’s cigarette market is in flux, and new smoking habits threaten to singe makers of pricey brands the most. Carol Ryan, WSJ, 4 Nov. 2023 A little singe around the edges of the bread will remind you of the coal-fire char of the original. Ali Slagle, Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2023 Each card makes the fire burn a little brighter, a burst of light and memory as the paper singes and crumples. Time, 12 July 2023 In triple-digit heat, monkey bars singe children’s hands, water bottles warp and seatbelts feel like hot irons. Jack Healy, New York Times, 11 July 2023 The proton treatments were a series of slow singes. Sally Jenkins, Anchorage Daily News, 3 July 2023 Apart from the all-wheel-drive dual-motor setup, the singe-motor variants aren't expected to pack much of a punch. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 28 Mar. 2023 Look for signs of singe around the outlets. Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 10 Nov. 2022 Not in a singe-elimination format this year. Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 20 Apr. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'singe.' 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

Middle English sengen, from Old English sæncgan, sengan; akin to Old High German bisengan to singe, Old Church Slavonic isęknǫti to dry up

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1658, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of singe was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near singe

Cite this Entry

“Singe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/singe. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

singe

1 of 2 verb
singed
ˈsinjd
; singeing ˈsin-jiŋ How to pronounce singe (audio)
: to burn slightly
especially : to remove hair, down, or fuzz from usually by passing briefly over a flame

singe

2 of 2 noun
: a slight burn : scorch

More from Merriam-Webster on singe

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