Phrase guide

scalding hot

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see scalding, hot: very hot in a way that can scald, involving fluids (e.g., water, steam, gases).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: steaming hot, steaming, boiling hot, piping hot; see also Thesaurus:hot

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: scalding, steaming hot, steaming, boiling hot, piping hot, hot, choleric, heated

Antonyms: freezing cold, freezing, ice-cold, icy, stone cold, algid, Arctic, Baltic, boreal, brass monkeys, brumal, chill, chilled, chilly, clay-cold, cold, cold as a mackerel, cold as charity, frosty, frore, frozen, gelid, glacial, hiemal, inclement, nesh, nippy, parky, polar, sleety, snowy, taters, wintry

Broader terms: hot

2

adj

Meaning 2

Extremely hot.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, idiomatic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: scalding, steaming hot, steaming, boiling hot, piping hot, baking hot, smoking hot, hot, choleric, heated

Antonyms: freezing cold, freezing, ice-cold, icy, stone cold, algid, Arctic, Baltic, boreal, brass monkeys, brumal, chill, chilled, chilly, clay-cold, cold, cold as a mackerel, cold as charity, frosty, frore, frozen, gelid, glacial, hiemal, inclement, nesh, nippy, parky, polar, sleety, snowy, taters, wintry

Broader terms: hot

History

Etymology

From Middle English scladeng hoot; equivalent to scalding + hot.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Swedish: skållhet — very hot
  • Swedish: brännhet — very hot
  • Swedish: stekhet — very hot