What does seared mean?
Seared describes food or other material that has been exposed briefly to intense heat, creating a browned, sealed, or lightly charred surface. The word is especially common in culinary descriptions: a seared steak or piece of tuna has a cooked exterior but may remain less thoroughly cooked inside. Seared can also describe a vivid or lasting impression, as in a moment “seared into memory.” It is a slightly more evocative alternative to “scorched” or “charred,” suggesting concentrated heat and often a contrast between the browned exterior and the interior. The term is used in both British and American English and is especially familiar in cooking, food writing, and descriptive prose.
Cooked or sealed by a brief exposure to intense heat, usually with a browned or charred surface.
"The chef served the fish seared with lemon and herbs."
In food contexts, it often contrasts a browned exterior with an interior that may remain less cooked.
Having a vivid, lasting, or deeply felt impression.
"Her warning was seared into his memory."
This figurative sense is more literary than the culinary one.
To cook or seal something by exposing it briefly to intense heat.
"She seared the scallops in a hot skillet before adding the sauce."
Usually transitive and commonly used in recipes and culinary descriptions.
A seared surface is created by intense heat in seconds, giving food a rich browned exterior without necessarily cooking it all the way through.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does seared come from?
The modern verb derives from the older word “sear,” meaning dry, withered, or burned through intense heat. The word is related to an Old English root associated with dryness and burning, and its current culinary sense developed from the idea of quickly applying strong heat to the surface of food. The adjective “seared” formed as the past participle and adjectival form of this verb, later gaining the figurative sense of being deeply marked by an experience.
Related word forms
How seared is actually used
In culinary contexts, seared usually suggests brief contact with very high heat, often followed by further cooking. Figurative uses are somewhat literary and convey the idea of an unforgettable or painful impression.
Easily confused with seared
“Seared” means exposed to intense heat, whereas “seared” is sometimes confused with “scared,” which means frightened.
“Seared” involves heat and browning or charring, while “soured” describes something made acidic by fermentation.