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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

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.

Our critic praised it as a “blistering Broadway revival.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Patients experience severe pain, burning and blistering when they spend even a few minutes in the sun, even with sunscreen.

From The Wall Street Journal

The quarterly reading was a sharp slowdown from the summer’s blistering 4.4% rate.

From The Wall Street Journal

Despite their blistering form, Detroit -- wholly reconstructed after finishing rock-bottom of the Eastern Conference just two years ago -- are still few pundits' top pick to win the title.

From Barron's

Dry the chickpeas like you mean it—roll them in a towel, let them sit a minute, roll again—because moisture is the enemy of blistering.

From Salon

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.