parch

verb \ ˈpärch \

Definition of parch

transitive verb

1 : to toast under dry heat

2 : to shrivel with heat

3 : to dry or shrivel with cold

intransitive verb

: to become dry or scorched

See parch defined for English-language learners

See parch defined for kids

Examples of parch in a Sentence

The hot desert sun had parched the land.
the heat has really parched my throat

Recent Examples of parch from the Web

Parched hands Dry air can be behind scaly hands, but other common drying agents include smoking, genetics, aging, soaps and skincare products that contain alcohol, fragrance, retinoids, or alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA).

— amy capetta, Woman's Day, "How to Solve Irritation from Head to Toe," 12 June 2017
The extreme weather that’s gripped the U.S. Great Plains is also threatening agricultural output in Canada as hot, dry conditions parch fields and stunt crop growth.

— Bloomberg.com, "Parched Fields Threaten Canada Crop Yields," 19 July 2017
But the 21st century has parched a lot of thirst for MLB franchises.

— john smallwood, Philly.com, "Sports Tonight: Brownies adding to two baker's dozens," 21 Aug. 2017
The same could be said for the quarter chicken ($10), which presented us with a large, smoked bone-in breast that was parched for one of the five sauces on hand.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "BBQ joint taking over Lynn's Paradise site is 'generally' pleasing | Review," 16 Aug. 2017
Responding to the severe drought that is parching Italy, the Vatican has started to shut off its historic decorative and drinking fountains, Hilary Clarke reports for CNN.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Vatican Shuts Off Its Historic Fountains in Midst of Scorching Drought," 26 July 2017
Hot, dry and windy weather parched the grapes, reducing yields and grape juice, and harvesting was completed earlier than usual.

— rudy ruitenberg, Bloomberg.com, "France to Make Least Wine in 60 Years After Bad Weather Hits Grapes," 7 Oct. 2017
Their bodies were bent under the weight of their belongings and their lips were cracked and parched from thirst.

— Washington Post, "Bangladesh coastal town a place of Rohingya hope and tragedy," 25 Sep. 2017
Responding to the severe drought that is parching Italy, the Vatican has started to shut off its historic decorative and drinking fountains, Hilary Clarke reports for CNN.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Vatican Shuts Off Its Historic Fountains in Midst of Scorching Drought," 26 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.