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searing

searing

4.1
A very hot burning pain that hurts a lot
  • adjective
  • /ˈsɪrɪŋ/
translation icon : abrasador
  • And all of a sudden the searing pain all flows down the side of my face and my eyes.

Her body couldn't hold all the searing light, and then blackness slammed into her.

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Examples

  • The pain is so searing, so terrifying.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • And then that lasts, I want to say, an hour, like, searing pain, really.

  • So what were the kind of conscious thoughts you were having in between this this searing pain?

  • Her body couldn't hold all the searing light, and then blackness slammed into her.

  • The chef warned that the dish would have a searing heat that could surprise unprepared diners.

  • She couldn't escape the searing sunlight during the midday hike, which made her feel dizzy.

  • After the accident, he felt a searing pain in his leg that made it hard to walk.

Synonyms

sizzling
vssearing
3 3.4

Very hot and making a hissing sound

is intense heat often felt and heard rather than only painful
blistering
vssearing
2 5.8

Extremely hot, like strong sun that can burn skin

is intense heat that may cause pain without visible skin damage
blazing
vssearing
1 3.5

Shining very brightly like the sun

is intense heat or feeling rather than mainly bright appearance
scalding
vssearing
3.7

Very hot and able to burn skin

is intense heat that often causes pain but not always burns
scorching
vssearing
3.7

Very hot so you want to find shade and drink water

is intense heat often causing pain rather than dryness
lancinating
vssearing
  • Specialized
9.9

A very sharp, stabbing pain like being pierced

is intense thermal or strong sensation rather than stabbing pain
excoriating
vssearing
8.4

Making the skin sore and raw

is intense heat or discomfort rather than direct skin abrasion
stinging
vssearing
3.1

Causing a sharp, painful feeling on the skin

is intense heat or pain that is often more lasting than quick sharp pain

Antonyms

608 1.0

A fairly low temperature that feels pleasant

494 1.0

Not feeling pain or physical discomfort

107 1.0

Something like pain and criticism that is not very strong or serious

Compounds

searing iron
  • Archaic
9.1

A hot metal tool that burns body tissue to stop bleeding or remove growths

How Hot

blistering
2 5.8
searing
4.1
scorching
3.7
hot
1.0
warm
1.0

Surface Forms

searing positive

Morphology

searing = sear (transparent) = sear + ing

Direct adjectival use of 'sear' meaning scorching or intensely hot; the meaning follows standard derivation.

Etymology

Searing comes from the old verb sear, which means 'to burn' or 'to dry up'. Think of a hot pan that sears meat or the sun that 'burns' your skin, so searing heat feels extremely hot and can cause pain.