char 1 of 2

noun

Definition of charnext
British
as in housekeeper
a female domestic servant a busy executive who leaves most of the cooking and cleaning to the char

Synonyms & Similar Words

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char

2 of 2

verb

as in to scorch
to burn on the surface I'd like my hamburger charred, but not cooked through

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of char
Noun
Add the skewers and grill until char marks form on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026 Soy-Honey-Glazed Arctic Char Arctic char is the start of this 15-minute dinner for two. — Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
Sweet, savory, and charred at the edges, bulgogi makes a compelling case for keeping dinner simple. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026 Brush the ribs with the cola barbecue sauce on both sides and grill or broil for 10 minutes, flipping once, until charred on each side. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for char
Recent Examples of Synonyms for char
  1. housekeeper
  2. scorch
  3. maid
  4. singe
  5. sear
  6. light
Noun
  • When his son suddenly turns up alive and well, Mark and his psychiatrist wife, Abigail (Kerry Washington), realize that the kidnapper accidentally took the child of Ramón (Luis Gerardo Méndez), their housekeeper’s undocumented day-laborer boyfriend.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone from the front-desk employees to the housekeepers to the yoga instructors were helpful and attentive.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of housekeeper
Verb
  • The Norte fire — the most devastating blaze — scorched more than 570 acres in residential neighborhoods in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, damaging or destroying at least six homes.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That was the update last week at a meeting of the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG), a confab of scientists whose research interests focus on the scorching world just sunward from Earth.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of scorch
Noun
  • Adelaide said, with a vehemence that frightened Masha, the maid trying to spoon medicine into her clenched mouth.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This is the kind of show where an opulent tea party is dramatized not just by many different plates of fancy pastries, fancy wreaths and lots of furniture, but by having all that stuff carted in by a dozen or so butlers, maids and other servants.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of maid
Verb
  • Strain cocktail over and garnish with a rosemary sprig, briefly singed over a flame, if desired.
    — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Wills had been in a meeting and recalled a fireball flying past and singeing her bangs.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of singe
Verb
  • In the second half of the album Libertad blossoms into a masterpiece, with its sonic intensity and searing political messages balanced by playful production.
    — Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For steak specifically, the recommendation is to use beef tallow right before searing to get a deep, flavorful crust that locks in juices and delivers a restaurant-quality finish.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of sear
Verb
  • If Mick hadn’t come cruising into that playground, lights off?
    — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than lighting an entire room, try task lighting like reading lamps, under-the-cabinet light strips, and desk lamps that illuminate a workspace.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of light

Browse Nearby Words

chapters
char
character
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Cite this Entry

“Char.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/char. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on char

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about char

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