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searingly

searingly

1 7.2
In a way that feels very painful or shocking
  • adverb
  • /ˈsɪrɪŋli/
translation icon : intensamente
  • Of course, we’ve yet to see where that shift in power leads: there’s the central problem of what to do once you’ve won the revolution, and as the aftermath of Perón's return to Argentina proved so searingly, we need to be careful what we wish for.
  • searingly honest
  • searingly hot
  • searingly bright

Examples

  • I mean it was okay, but going from brain-searingly amazing to just "okay" is a big difference.

    Blog text (11)
  • She was suddenly, searingly conscious of the man to whom she clung.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • While searingly painful, the Two-State solution will do that.

    Blog text (6)
  • Gradually, one side became searingly hot while the other chilled down to Arctic inactivity.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Before a Brazilian state senate, she once searingly asked, "Have you ever heard a monkey sobbing in pain as his trees are being burned?" (n100)

    Academic text (2008)
  • Spice Girls: The Spice Girls are the best-selling girl group of all time, and the most successful British band since The Beatles—and their music remains some of the most searingly brilliant pop ever created.

    Blog text (29)
  • Judge Al Franken by what he stands for today: a searingly intelligent and abundantly caring son of Minnesota who has returned home to attempt to lend his voice to our nation's political discourse on the most formal of levels.

    Blog text (28)
  • Instead, Wallis is making the case that Merry Christmas means actively working on behalf of the poor, actively standing up against legislation and legislators that harm them, actively working for peace and reconciliation even when searingly painful and apparently hopeless, and actively caring for the incarnate world on behalf of the least of these.

    Blog text (32)
  • It was actually peaceful, if searingly hot, and with blaring horns, brakes, hawkers, and chants gathering just behind the membrane of 9:30, I figured I could ease up for twenty minutes.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • The documentary searingly exposes the harsh realities of life in war-torn regions.

Synonyms

brutally
vssearingly
  • Offensive
142 6.1

In a cruel or very harsh way that causes harm

is emotionally powerful but does not imply physical cruelty
painfully
vssearingly
106 3.7

In a way that causes physical or emotional pain

is stronger and more intense, often with powerful emotional force
intensely
vssearingly
88 3.1

In a very strong or focused way

is similar but specifically combines strength with emotional pain
hotly
vssearingly
27 4.1

In a strong, angry, or excited way

focuses more on painful emotional force rather than energetic argument
keenly
vssearingly
26 4.1

Acts in a way that shows strong interest or feeling

is harsher and more powerful, adding emotional pain to strong feeling
savagely
vssearingly
  • NSFW
22 6.7

In a very violent and cruel way

is intense and painful but not necessarily violent or cruel
excruciatingly
vssearingly
16 8.2

In a very painful or strong way

is intense too but often stresses powerful emotional hurt rather than only pain
achingly
vssearingly
5 6.6

In a way that shows deep pain or longing

is harsher and more powerful, often causing active emotional hurt
acutely
vssearingly
5 5.5

Very strongly felt or noticed

is more forceful and often combines intensity with emotional pain
agonizingly
vssearingly
  • US
4 7.4

In a way that causes very strong physical pain or deep worry

is similar but leans more to raw emotional intensity than pure torture
horrifically
vssearingly
3 6.0

In a way that is very shocking or frightening

is intensely painful but centers on emotional hurt rather than shock
heartbreakingly
vssearingly
3 5.1

In a way that makes people feel very sad

is more about extreme overall intensity, not only sorrow
devastatingly
vssearingly
3 6.7

In a way that causes great harm or damage

is intense too but stresses emotional pain and power rather than physical harm
heatedly
vssearingly
3 5.1

In a way that shows strong feelings, often anger

is intense too but usually expresses pain or power rather than heated anger
hellishly
vssearingly
2 8.8

In a very intense and unpleasant way

shares extreme unpleasantness but targets emotional pain specifically
crushingly
vssearingly
1 7.3

A way that makes someone feel very sad and defeated

is similar but often focuses more on emotional suffering than sheer destruction
blisteringly
vssearingly
1 7.3

Very hot or strong in a way that feels painful

is intense too but stresses emotional hurt rather than speed or harshness
blazingly
vssearingly
1 5.3

In a very bright or very fast way

keeps strong intensity but usually refers to painful emotional force rather than brightness
piercingly
vssearingly
1 6.9

In a very sharp, strong way that you notice immediately

is similarly penetrating but focuses on overwhelming emotional hurt
shatteringly
vssearingly
1 7.9

In a way that makes people feel great shock or deep sadness

is more about sustained intense pain rather than sudden shock
biblically
vssearingly
  • Informal
1 8.4

To a very great degree

is similarly large in force but emphasizes painful emotional intensity
harrowingly
vssearingly
1 8.8

In a way that causes great fear or pain

focuses more on intense emotional or powerful feeling rather than fear alone
wrenchingly
vssearingly
1 8.1

In a way that causes strong emotional pain

is similarly painful but emphasizes sheer force rather than wrenching feeling
overpoweringly
vssearingly
1 7.4

In a very strong way that is hard to resist

matches intensity but usually highlights painful emotional force rather than irresistible power
pungently
vssearingly
1 6.9

In a strong, direct way that clearly criticizes

is more about emotional hurt and overall power than sensory sharpness
heartrendingly
vssearingly
8.4

In a way that makes people feel very sad

is broader, combining severe intensity with emotional pain beyond sadness
burningly
vssearingly
7.5

In a way that shows very strong feeling, like passion or desire

is like that but more centered on powerful emotional pain rather than heat imagery
scorchingly
vssearingly
7.2

In a very harsh, critical way that attacks someone or their ideas

is emotionally painful and intense rather than primarily critical or hot
stingingly
vssearingly
7.6

In a way that causes a sharp, burning pain

is more about powerful emotional pain rather than a physical sting
astringently
vssearingly
  • Formal
8.1

In a sharp, harsh way that shows strong criticism

is similarly severe but centers on intense emotional suffering rather than merely harsh tone

Antonyms

372 1.0

To do something with little force to avoid hurting or making noise

95 1.0

In a gentle, light way using little force

How Intense

searingly
1 7.2
piercingly
1 6.9
powerfully
34 3.6
strongly
638 1.0
mildly
92 2.7

Surface Forms

searingly positive

Morphology

searingly = searing (transparent) = sear + ing + ly

Standard adverbial formation from the adjective 'searing' using the productive suffix '-ly', preserving the adjective's meaning.

Etymology

Searingly comes from the verb sear, which means 'to burn' or 'to scorch', and the ending -ly that makes it an adverb. So when something is said searingly, it is very sharp, intense, and can feel emotionally painful, as if the words 'burn' the listener.