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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."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing blistering

The Sweltering Words of Summer

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The Kite Runner

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This Week in Words: September 25 - October 1, 2017

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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

On a Monday in mid-March, he stared out at the Manhattan skyline from his office on the 85th floor and decided he didn’t want to miss out on another blistering rally.

From The Wall Street Journal • 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

The injury-ravaged Lakers were expected to wilt in the playoffs, but Luke Kennard delivered a blistering shooting show during a win over Houston.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Of course, women from Elizabeth I to Emmeline Pankhurst have from time to time given blistering speeches.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

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.