blistering

adjective

blis·​ter·​ing ˈbli-st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce blistering (audio)
Synonyms of blisteringnext
1
: extremely intense or severe
blistering heat
2
: very rapid
a blistering pace
blistering adverb
blisteringly
ˈbli-st(ə-)riŋ-lē How to pronounce blistering (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of blistering

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of blistering in a Sentence

a hockey player with a blistering slap shot even after a blistering attack from the enemy, the fortress held
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
At least two labels have changed their showtimes to avoid the blistering afternoon sun. — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 24 June 2026 The blistering noon heat is close to a hundred degrees, but the boys swarming the soccer arena seem to move with extra pace in their step. — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2026 The weekend two set was, with only one exception, the same as their blistering debut, although there were definite changes in lighting and a couple of arrangements. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2026 But after facing a blistering winter this year, many of those reserves are under 30%, the lowest since 2022. — Simmone Shah, Time, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for blistering

Word History

First Known Use

1708, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blistering was in 1708

Browse Nearby Words

blister fly
blistering
blistering cerate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blistering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blistering. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

blistering

adjective
1
: very intense
blistering heat
2
: very fast
a blistering pace

More from Merriam-Webster on blistering

Nglish: Translation of blistering for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All