What Does Scorched Earth Mean?

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What does scorched earth mean?

Definitions for scorched earthscorched earth

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word scorched earth.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. Scorched earth

    A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy that aims to destroy anything that might be useful to the enemy. Any assets that could be used by the enemy may be targeted, which usually includes obvious weapons, transport vehicles, communication sites, and industrial resources. However, anything useful to the advancing enemy may be targeted, including food stores and agricultural areas, water sources, and even the local people themselves, though the latter group of targets has been banned under the 1977 Geneva Conventions.The practice can be carried out by the military in enemy territory or in its own home territory while it is being invaded. It may overlap with, but is not the same as, punitive destruction of the enemy's resources, which is usually done as part of political strategy, rather than operational strategy.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

  1. Scorched earth

    A scorched earth policy is a military strategy which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area. It is a military strategy where all of the assets that are used or can be used by the enemy are targeted, such as food sources, transportation, communications, industrial resources, and even the people in the area. The practice can be carried out by an army in enemy territory, or in its own home territory. It may overlap with, but is not the same as, punitive destruction of an enemy's resources, which is done for purely strategic/political reasons rather than strategic/operational reasons. It was most famously used by Joseph Stalin against the German Army in the Second World War, by William Tecumseh Sherman during his March to the Sea in the American Civil War, by Lord Kitchener against the Boers, and by the Russian army during the failed Napoleonic invasion of Russia. The strategy of destroying the food supply of the civilian population in an area of conflict has been banned under Article 54 of Protocol I of the 1977 Geneva Conventions. The relevant passage says: It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove, or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies, and irrigation works, for the specific purpose of denying them for their sustenance value to the civilian population or to the adverse Party, whatever the motive, whether in order to starve out civilians, to cause them to move away, or for any other motive.

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  1. scorched earth

    Song lyrics by scorched earth -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by scorched earth on the Lyrics.com website.

How to pronounce scorched earth?

  1. AlexUS EnglishDavidUS EnglishMarkUS EnglishDanielBritishLibbyBritishMiaBritishKarenAustralianHayleyAustralianNatashaAustralianVeenaIndianPriyaIndianNeerjaIndianZiraUS EnglishOliverBritishWendyBritishFredUS EnglishTessaSouth African

How to say scorched earth in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of scorched earth in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of scorched earth in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of scorched earth in a Sentence

  1. Dave Heller:

    That type of scorched earth policy is going to destroy conservative talk in Florida in the meantime, i work for a privately owned broadcasting group that will not be able to afford a barrage of lawsuits before we wait for it to go before the Supreme Court.

  2. Maura Healey:

    I hope this decision will encourage Exxon to end their scorched earth campaign.

  3. Stephen Innes:

    Any sliver of optimism on the trade war front will be viewed in a very positive light, surely both parties can't be happy to move forward with their scorched earth policy.

  4. William Barr:

    The fact of the matter is that, in waging a scorched earth, no-holds-barred war of ‘Resistance’ against this Administration, it is the Left that is engaged in the systematic shredding of norms and the undermining of the rule of law. This highlights a basic disadvantage that conservatives have always had in contesting the political issues of the day. It was adverted to by the old, curmudgeonly Federalist, Fisher Ames, in an essay during the early years of the Republic.

  5. John Kilduff:

    Prices plunged because the OPEC confab ended up being an epic fail on the part of all involved. Russia has clearly decided to employ a scorched earth approach to the oil market: every country for itself.

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References

  1. ^ Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorched_Earth
  2. ^ Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=scorched earth

Translations for scorched earth

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • καμμένη γηGreek
  • زمین سوختهPersian
  • poltettua maataFinnish
  • terre brûléeFrench
  • terra bruciataItalian
  • אדמה חרוכהHebrew
  • adustaLatin
  • svidd jordNorwegian
  • bränd jordSwedish

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"scorched earth." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LTD, 2026. Web. 2 Jan. 2026. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/scorched+earth>.

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Nearby & related entries:

  • scorbutogenic
  • scorbutus noun
  • scorce
  • scorch verb
  • scorched adj
  • scorched earth
  • scorched-earth
  • scorched-earth policy noun
  • scorcher noun
  • scorchers
  • scorcheth

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