often attributive
1
: a burning stick of resinous wood or twist of tow used to give light and usually carried in the hand : flambeau
2
: something (such as tradition, wisdom, or knowledge) likened to a torch as giving light or guidance
pass the torch to the next generation
3
: any of various portable devices for emitting an unusually hot flame compare blowtorch
4
chiefly British
: flashlight sense 1
torched; torching; torches
: to set fire to with or as if with a torch
Synonyms
Examples of torch in a Sentence
Noun
several suspicious fires in the past few months have probably been set by the same torch
Verb
An arsonist torched the building.
police suspect that the owner torched the house for the insurance money
Recent Examples on the Web
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
Aside from the torch that never quite went out with Charlie, Ashley’s Pia gets set up on three dates with Asim Chaudhry’s heir, Phil Dunster’s (Ted Lasso, Surface) free-spirit and Nikesh Patel’s teacher.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025
Basel Adra, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
Evacuation orders were issued for specific areas torched by the Palisades Fire on the western side of Los Angeles and the Eaton Fire north of the city.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for torch 
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Noun
Chris Evans' Steve Rogers passed the proverbial torch and literal shield to Sam Wilson, portrayed by Anthony Mackie, after returning the Infinity Stones to their rightful place in time and space.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
Aside from the torch that never quite went out with Charlie, Ashley’s Pia gets set up on three dates with Asim Chaudhry’s heir, Phil Dunster’s (Ted Lasso, Surface) free-spirit and Nikesh Patel’s teacher.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
After torching Awad’s jeep, the settlers shifted their attention to the barn adjacent to his house, which contained 10 tons of animal feed, and set it on fire as well.
—Basel Adra, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
Evacuation orders were issued for specific areas torched by the Palisades Fire on the western side of Los Angeles and the Eaton Fire north of the city.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for torch
Dictionary Entries Near torch
Cite this Entry
“Torch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torch. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
TORCH
noun
: a group of pathological agents that cause similar symptoms in newborns and that include especially a toxoplasma (Toxoplasma gonii), cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and the togavirus causing German measles
Etymology
Noun
toxoplasma, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus
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