1
as in boiling
having a notably high temperature
in our air-conditioned office, we were oblivious to the searing heat outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harsh
difficult to endure
the undersecretary looked chastened as he listened to the congressman's searing rebuke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in drying
to make dry
the clear desert air is seared by the summer sun
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of searing
Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2025
Working for New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller in California’s 1964 Republican presidential primary, the pair ran a searing campaign against Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, falling just shy of an upset.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
Clinton’s comments come as Democrats have been searching for answers amid the searing presidential and Senate loss.
—Juliann Ventura, The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024
The Brutalist is a Fitzcarraldo fable of artistic endeavor, a universal immigrant tale and a searing indictment of capitalism
Jones plays opposite Brody as Tóth’s wife, Erzsébet, in an indelible portrait of a woman physically broken by war who remains resolutely unbroken in spirit.
—Wendell Steavenson, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for searing
Adjective
At the end of the day, room could not be found for even Marianne Jean-Baptiste, a past Oscar nominee who swept the major critics awards for her searing turn in Hard Truths, or Angelina Jolie, a past Oscar winner and the A-lister of A-listers, who seemed an early front-runner for the biopic Maria.
—Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2025
Working for New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller in California’s 1964 Republican presidential primary, the pair ran a searing campaign against Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, falling just shy of an upset.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
Clinton’s comments come as Democrats have been searching for answers amid the searing presidential and Senate loss.
—Juliann Ventura, The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024
The Brutalist is a Fitzcarraldo fable of artistic endeavor, a universal immigrant tale and a searing indictment of capitalism
Jones plays opposite Brody as Tóth’s wife, Erzsébet, in an indelible portrait of a woman physically broken by war who remains resolutely unbroken in spirit.
—Wendell Steavenson, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for searing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for searing
Adjective
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One idea is that about a million years after the Big Bang, the universe cooled and underwent a phase transition, an event similar to how boiling water turns liquid into gas.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Scientific American,
3 Mar. 2020
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If candy is still stuck on, pour more boiling water over whatever hasn’t come clean.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
3 Dec. 2019
Adjective
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The delays follow the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing a warning over harsh weather for residents of Huntersville and Gastonia in North Carolina, which is also affecting the Charlotte Douglas Airport.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
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The protest was not politically motivated, but demonstrations in the country can sometimes lead to political unrest under the harsh regime.—
Brie Stimson,
Fox News,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Ben Johnson has a ‘burning desire’ to be a head coach.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2025
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For answers to more burning questions about Season 2, plus Season 3 clues (including which Season 1 character will be coming back), read Deadline’s interview with The Night Agent showrunner Shawn Ryan.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The occasional injury is unavoidable in a tournament where the intensity is this high, but that doesn’t make the outcome any less brutal for Theodore and the Golden Knights. 4.—
Sean McIndoe,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
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But the particularly brutal shootings have continued to captivate a wide audience.—
Sarah Holzmann,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Stray animals are also at risk of suffering from heat exhaustion during scorching summers.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
Newsweek,
2 Jan. 2025
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Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid scorching the milk.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
28 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The lady from New York, their big thing was called white hot hot dogs — really unique, smaller, and a larger ring bologna diameter.—
Kristine M. Kierzek,
Journal Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
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Spicy foods, caffeine, hot drinks, and alcohol can contribute to overheating.5 Evidence suggests that diets rich in phytoestrogens—plant compounds that act similarly to the hormone estrogen—may help balance hormone levels and ease hot flashes.—
Sarah Jividen,
Health,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Currently, asylum seekers who committed crimes seen as political in nature—i.e. toward an oppressive regime—could be granted asylum, as could those guilty of misdemeanors.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
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But the show pulls back just enough on the oppressive horror vibes of Season Two without losing a perpetual sense of unease from those scenes.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Located 3,000 miles below the Earth’s surface, the inner core is anchored by gravity within the molten liquid outer core.—
Doyle Rice,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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The latest release of molten rock began 10:16 a.m. with lava flowing on to the floor of Halemaumau Crater.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Searing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/searing. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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