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Synonyms

blistering

American  
[blis-ter-ing] / ˈblɪs tər ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing a blister or blisters.

  2. (especially of sunlight, heat, etc.) very severe or intense.

  3. very fast or rapid.

    a blistering pace.

noun

  1. the act or an instance of forming a blister or blisters.

  2. a series or group of blisters, as on a painted surface.

blistering British  
/ -trɪŋ, ˈblɪstərɪŋ /

adjective

  1. (of weather) extremely hot

  2. (of criticism) extremely harsh

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • blisteringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of blistering

First recorded in 1555–65; blister + -ing 2

Explanation

Use the adjective blistering to mean extremely hot. You might love living in Georgia, except for the blistering heat in the summer time. A baker has to remove her loaves of bread carefully from the oven because of the blistering heat. You can also use blistering to mean a different kind of heat: "Her blistering criticism took him by surprise." Or a racer might set out on a track at a blistering pace, one that's incredibly fast or impressive. The original, hot meaning of blistering comes from the idea that something is "hot enough to form blisters."

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Vocabulary lists containing blistering

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Rare earths are so vital for the global economy that they have become a flashpoint in the blistering trade war between the United States and China.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

This blistering outperformance has landed the Dow transports squarely in overbought territory, according to criteria used by most technical analysts.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

A blistering set from British rockers Wet Leg.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

World number 97 Potapova, who switched allegiance from Russia to Austria in December, made a blistering start as Andreeva struggled.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

I let the pole drop from my stinging blistering fingers, pride taking a distant second to fatigue.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.