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
Verb (1)
the picnickers kept scorching their marshmallows, deliberately sticking their skewers into the licking flames of the campfire
weeks of drought had badly scorched the soil
Recent Examples on the Web
Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Heat the remaining sprouts in a scorching oven, or under the grill, for a couple of minutes, until sizzling and crisp around the edges.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 25 Dec. 2024
Mark Eller, Outside Online, 13 Dec. 2024
Some of the oaks had the largest scorches at their bases.
—M. R. O’Connor, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scorch 
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Verb
That fire scorched 153,000 acres, destroyed 18,800 structures and killed 85 people.
—Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Heat the remaining sprouts in a scorching oven, or under the grill, for a couple of minutes, until sizzling and crisp around the edges.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
Using it as a face shield in super dry mountain air also helped prevent lung scorch.
—Mark Eller, Outside Online, 13 Dec. 2024
Some of the oaks had the largest scorches at their bases.
—M. R. O’Connor, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scorch
Dictionary Entries Near scorch
Cite this Entry
“Scorch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scorch. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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