sear

• (s) (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
  • dried-up grass
  • the desert was edged with sere vegetation
  • shriveled leaves on the unwatered seedlings
  • withered vines
  dried-up, sere, shriveled, shrivelled, withered,

Verbs

• (v) make very hot and dry
  • The heat scorched the countryside
  scorch,
• (v) become superficially burned
  • my eyebrows singed when I bent over the flames
  scorch, singe,
• (v) burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
  • The cook blackened the chicken breast
  • The fire charred the ceiling above the mantelpiece
  • the flames scorched the ceiling
  blacken, char, scorch,
• (v) cause to wither or parch from exposure to heat
  • The sun parched the earth
  parch,

Synonyms

Words of close approximity