sear

[sɪr]

sear Definition

  • 1to burn the surface of something with sudden very strong heat
  • 2to make someone feel a sudden intense feeling

Using sear: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "sear" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    Sear the meat on both sides before cooking it.

  • Example

    The hot iron seared his skin.

  • Example

    The memory of her father's death was seared into her mind forever.

sear Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for sear

Idioms Using sear

  • sear the conscience

    to cause someone to feel guilty or ashamed

    Example

    The documentary about animal cruelty seared my conscience and made me want to become a vegetarian.

  • to make a lasting impression on someone's mind

    Example

    The image of the Twin Towers collapsing seared into the memories of everyone who witnessed it.

  • to cause someone to experience intense emotional pain or trauma

    Example

    The loss of her child seared her soul and left her feeling empty inside.

Phrases with sear

  • tuna that is quickly seared on high heat, leaving the center raw or rare

    Example

    I ordered the seared tuna salad for lunch.

  • seared conscience

    a conscience that has become insensitive to moral or ethical standards due to repeated exposure to negative experiences

    Example

    After years of working in the prison system, he developed a seared conscience and became desensitized to the suffering of the inmates.

  • a vivid and traumatic memory that is permanently etched into one's mind

    Example

    The seared memory of the car accident haunted him for years.

Origins of sear

from Old English 'searian', meaning 'to wither'

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Summary: sear in Brief

The verb 'sear' [sɪr] means to burn the surface of something with sudden very strong heat or to make someone feel a sudden intense feeling. It can refer to cooking techniques, as in 'Sear the meat on both sides before cooking it,' or to emotional experiences, as in 'The memory of her father's death was seared into her mind forever.' 'Sear' also appears in phrases like 'seared conscience,' which describes a conscience that has become insensitive to moral or ethical standards due to repeated exposure to negative experiences.