Sear on each side over medium heat for 4 - 5 minutes.
Source: tatoeba (896000)
Sear
/sɪɚ/
Synonyms for "sear" (234 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (47)
Strong matches (70)
Related words (117)
gunheatinsolatekilnlanguishmaceratemarkmat burnmummifiedmummifyoven-bakeoxidateoxidizepanpan-broilparboilparchparchedpinepoach
Show 74 more words
prepareprepare foodpreshrinkpreshrunkpyrolyzeroastrubsanforizesanforizedsautescaldscallopscorchscorchedsearedsecond-degree burnsereshirrshrinkshrivelshriveledshriveled upshrunkshrunkensimmersingesizzleslubberslursmearsmirchsmokesoak upsoilsolderspongestainsteamstewstigmatizestir-frysunsun-driedsun-drysunbakedsunburnsunscaldswabswingetainttarnishthinthird-degree burntoasttorrefytowelvesicatevulcanizewastewaste awaywastedwasted awayweazenweazenedweldwiltwind-driedwindburnwipewitherwitheredwizenwizen-facedwizened
Adjective(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: char, scorch, adust, air-dry, anhydrate.
- Sentence evidence is available for sear, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "sear".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "sear"
Keep "sear" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "sear" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "sear", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "sear" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesMore specific
5 entriesCollocations
6 entriesperfect searsear meatsear steaksear the surfaceseared crustsearing heat
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
There are in all but three vvayes of going thither [to the moon]. […] [The] third, Old Empedocles vvay; vvho vvhen he leaped into Ætna, having a drie ſeare bodie, and light, the ſmoake took him and vvhift him up into the Moone, vvhere he lives yet vvaving up and dovvne like a feather, all foot and embers comming out of that cole-pit; our Poet met him, and talkt vvith him.
Source: wiktionary
The autumn winds rushing / Waft the leaves that are searest, / But our flower was in flushing, / When blighting was nearest.
Source: wiktionary
He likes to sear his steaks while maintaining rareness at the center.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "sear"?
Closest matches include char, scorch, adust, air-dry, anhydrate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "sear"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.