sear

verbs

make very hot and dry

"The heat scorched the countryside"

scorch, sear

become superficially burned

"my eyebrows singed when I bent over the flames"

scorch, sear, singe

burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color

"The cook blackened the chicken breast"; "The fire charred the ceiling above the mantelpiece"; "the flames scorched the ceiling"

blacken, char, scorch, sear

cause to wither or parch from exposure to heat

"The sun parched the earth"

parch, sear

(used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture

"dried-up grass"; "the desert was edged with sere vegetation"; "shriveled leaves on the unwatered seedlings"; "withered vines"

dried-up, sear, sere, shriveled, shrivelled, withered