chars 1 of 2

noun

plural of char, British
as in maids
a female domestic servant a busy executive who leaves most of the cooking and cleaning to the char

Synonyms & Similar Words

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chars

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of char
as in scorches
to burn on the surface I'd like my hamburger charred, but not cooked through

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chars
Verb
At American Elm, Mangin moves his cut of ribeye around the grill and flips it so each side faces the heat and chars the outside, guaranteeing a more even cook inside. — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chars
  1. maids
  2. scorches
  3. housekeepers
  4. singes
  5. sears
  6. lights
Noun
  • This is the kind of show where an opulent tea party is dramatized not just by many different plates of fancy pastries, fancy wreaths and lots of furniture, but by having all that stuff carted in by a dozen or so butlers, maids and other servants.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Jackson was particularly vocal in her criticism of the show’s shallow scripts, which featured plotlines about them going undercover as French maids, showgirls, lifeguards and, perhaps most infamously, prison inmates.
    — Michael Callahan, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of maids
Verb
  • The city is bracing for triple digit temperatures this week as another heat wave scorches Central and Eastern Europe, driving fears that levels could drop even further.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026
  • France followed its hottest-ever day with yet more brutal temperatures as a deadly heat wave scorches much of western Europe.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 June 2026
Definition of scorches
Noun
  • Everyone from the front-desk employees to the housekeepers to the yoga instructors were helpful and attentive.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Patricia Avila alleged in her 2021 suit that she and Maria Avila were hired in November 2020 as housekeepers at Brown’s home in Tarzana.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of housekeepers
Verb
  • But the laser singes her brain.
    — Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
  • At one point, Paul improvises a blowtorch and singes Carey’s face, leaving his peepers hairless.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Definition of singes
Verb
  • At Jimmy’s, the new supperclub in Lodi, chef Adam Darville sears a piece of Ora King salmon on the flat top, leaving the center rare.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Nikki Glaser quickly and delightfully sears the crowd.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Definition of sears
Verb
  • Alex Consani walks into a room and lights the whole thing up.
    — Time, Time, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Moments later, Andrew enters the home and lights a pipe before meeting the same fate.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of lights

Browse Nearby Words

charring
chars
chart
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Cite this Entry

“Chars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chars. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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