scalding 1 of 2

adjective

ˈskȯl-diŋ How to pronounce scalding (audio)
Definition of scaldingnext
1
as in boiling
having a notably high temperature the scalding water of a geyser

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in satiric
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings scalding reviews for the overproduced horror movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scalding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of scald
1
as in lacerating

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in scorching

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Dissimilar Words
3
as in simmering

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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 scalding
Adjective
There is an anti-scalding handle, so your hand is protected and a steam outlet to let off any high pressure steam to protect yourself. — Chris Hachey, BGR, 2 Apr. 2021 One man placed in a scalding bath or shower went to the hospital with second-degree burns. — Benjamin Weiser, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2020 But Reimann achieves an exemplary balance by alternating his scalding eruptions of vocal power (which in general are sparsely accompanied, sometimes by percussion alone) with full-throttle tutti blasts from the orchestra. — Matthew Aucoin, The New York Review of Books, 7 Dec. 2019 Two weeks ago, family and friends laid to rest Malachi Lawson, the 4-year-old who was burned in a scalding bath, his body then tossed in a dumpster. — Tim Prudente, baltimoresun.com, 26 Aug. 2019 See All Example Sentences for scalding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scalding
  1. boiling
  2. satiric
  3. lacerating
  4. scorching
  5. simmering
  6. searing
  7. sarcastic
  8. tearing
Adjective
  • More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life.
    — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Definition of boiling
Adjective
  • Minnesota Timberwolves player Anthony Edwards has brought back his satirical Believe That Awards, which went viral in 2025 — reaching 150 million cross-platform views — for crowning Timothée Chalamet white boy of the year.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Cockroach movement began as an online satirical campaign this summer after India’s chief justice compared unemployed young people to parasites.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of satiric
Verb
  • Two generations of viewers have now grown up consuming The Daily Show’s lacerating take on politics.
    — Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
  • In the last year, Huston has broken his eye socket — twice — and his jaw, as well as lacerating his kidney, per posts on his social media.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 28 June 2026
Definition of lacerating
Verb
  • 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
  • Check between presses to avoid overheating or scorching the fabric.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of scorching
Verb
  • But there’s also plenty of acrimony and recrimination in the aftermath of the school board election and one final confrontation between King and Paul Martino at a roundtable that leaves little doubt that tensions are still simmering.
    — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As the male assassin finds her and nearly drowns her in a lake, River catches up to the scene in time to save her, and the episode shifts to accommodate the romantic chemistry that’s been simmering between them since the series premiere.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of simmering
Adjective
  • What followed was a horrific night of physical and mental spousal abuse, which Adams describes in searing, emotional prose.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Artificial, which arrives in theaters on Christmas, may be the most searing of the lot.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of searing
Adjective
  • Eidra pushes her tendency to get glib and sarcastic rather than risk being vulnerable and honest to its farthest limits.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The interest has been driven largely by the brand's casual, sarcastic tone and active participation in online trends.
    — Megan Sauer, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Verb
  • The family captured the moment a massive marine mammal slammed into the side of their boat, ripping a door from its hinges and tearing a hole in the hull.
    — Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • CorneaCare’s Self Heating Warm Compresses deliver instant warmth plus hydrated minerals aimed at dryness, fatigue, tearing and puffiness.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of tearing

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Cite this Entry

“Scalding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scalding. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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