sear

[sɪr]

sear Definition

• 1. to burn the surface of something with sudden very strong heat
• 2. to 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

Synonyms for sear

• scorch
• char
• blacken
• brand
• cauterize

Antonyms for sear

• moisten
• dampen

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.

• sear into memory

  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.

• sear the soul

  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

• seared tuna

  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.

• seared memory

  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.