searing
Browning at high-heat
Searing describes intense, burning heat—literal or figurative.
A searing flame chars flesh; searing pain feels like fire.
Searing heat is oppressive.
In cooking, to sear is to brown meat quickly at high temperature, sealing in juices.
Extended uses convey piercing intensity: a searing critique, a searing look, searing honesty.
Extremely hot, burning
- blisteringExtremely intense or severe
- blazingBurning very brightly
- swelteringExtremely hot, uncomfortably so
- broilingExtremely hot, or oven-top cooking
torrid · furnace · inferno · heatwave · white-hot · incandescent · radiant · oppressive
Severely and bitingly critical
- bitingHarshly critical or cold
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
- harshUnpleasantly severe or rough
- causticChemically burning; bitterly mocking
acerbic · withering · brutal · savage · merciless · piercing · incisive · devastating
Combustion in progress
- stabbingWounding with a blade
- sharpFine-edged, or astute
- acuteIntensely severe or perceptive
- excruciatingCausing extreme suffering
agonizing · piercing · shooting · intense · throbbing · stinging · raw · blistering
scorching
Extremely hot, burning
- blisteringExtremely intense or severe
- blazingBurning very brightly
- swelteringExtremely hot, uncomfortably so
broiling · torrid · furnace · inferno · heatwave · white-hot · incandescent · radiant · oppressive · suffocating
scathing
Severely and bitingly critical
caustic · acerbic · withering · brutal · savage · merciless · piercing · incisive · devastating · damning
burning
Combustion in progress
excruciating · agonizing · piercing · shooting · intense · throbbing · stinging · raw · blistering · scalding
char
Burn without destroying
- sizzleSound of frying
- caramelizeCook until golden-brown
- crustHard outer layer
brown · pan-fry · skillet · grill · broil · roast · toast · blacken · crisp · render
intense
Extreme in degree
- vividIntensely clear and bright
- unforgettablePermanently fixed in memory
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
raw · powerful · piercing · gripping · wrenching · profound · indelible · devastating · visceral · gut-wrenching
- sharp painsstab, stabbing, stabbing pain, jab, prick
- BBQ techniquessmoking, grilling, charcoal grilling, direct heat, indirect heat
- cooking tipsmise en place, preheating, seasoning, deglazing, pat dry
- cookingbaking, chop, boiling, dice, mince
- temperaturehot, cold, warm, cool, freezing
- cooking techniquessimmering, boiling, frying, saute, stir-frying
searinggentle
Soft and kind
mild · soft · uncritical · complimentary · flattering
- pan searingQuick fry for crust
- searing hotExtremely, dangerously heated