boil over

verb

boiled over; boiling over; boils over
Synonyms of boil overnext

intransitive verb

1
: to overflow while boiling
2
a
: to become violent or lose control because of anger
so frustrated he's ready to boil over
b
: to develop into something more violent
Their disagreement finally boiled over into a fight.
boilover
ˈbȯi(-ə)l-ˌō-vər How to pronounce boil over (audio)
noun

Examples of boil over in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Those frustrations could be on the verge of boiling over. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 24 June 2026 Bring to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat and gently boil for 3 minutes. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026 Frustration is boiling over, and fights are breaking out between people struggling to buy rationed supplies of gasoline. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 27 June 2026 When death strikes the locals once more, Detective Kindaichi must quickly find answers before the situation boils over. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for boil over

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boil over was in the 15th century

Rhymes for boil over

See All Rhymes for boil over

Browse Nearby Words

boil out
boil over
boil smut
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boil over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil%20over. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

boil over

verb
1
: to overflow while boiling
2
: to become so angry as to lose one's temper

More from Merriam-Webster on boil over

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for boil over

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