sear

1 syllable

Quick answer

As an adjective, sear means dry. As a verb, it means char, scorch, or burn the surface of (something) with a hot instrument.

Meanings of sear

11 meanings

Dry; withered, especially of vegetation.
(used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
“dried-up grass”
“the desert was edged with sere vegetation”
“shriveled leaves on the unwatered seedlings”
Similar: dried-up, sere, shriveled, shrivelled, withered

To char, scorch, or burn the surface of (something) with a hot instrument.
To wither; to dry up.
figurativeTo make callous or insensible.
figurativeTo mark permanently, as if by burning.
“The events of that day were seared into her memory.”
Become superficially burned
“my eyebrows singed when I bent over the flames”
Similar: scorch, singe
Burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
“The cook blackened the chicken breast”
“The fire charred the ceiling above the mantelpiece”
“the flames scorched the ceiling”
Similar: char, blacken, scorch
Cause to wither or parch from exposure to heat
“The sun parched the earth”
Similar: parch