simmer

1 of 2

verb

sim·​mer ˈsi-mər 

simmered; simmering ˈsi-mə-riŋ 

ˈsim-riŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to stew gently below or just at the boiling point

2

a

: to be in a state of incipient development : ferment

ideas simmering in the back of my mind

b

: to be in inward turmoil : seethe

transitive verb

: to cook slowly in a liquid just below the boiling point

simmer

2 of 2

noun

: the state of simmering

Synonyms of simmer

Verb

• boil

Examples of simmer in a Sentence

Verb

Simmer the stew for 40 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

The chicken was simmered in a cream sauce.

The dispute simmered for years before any progress was made.

It's a debate that has simmered for 30 years and is likely to continue.

Long-simmering tensions between the two groups eventually sparked violence.

Noun

Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But Langley’s affection for his hometown hasn’t kept his company from drawing, even in Atlanta, the kinds of criticism over issues of privacy, mistakes and misuse that have been simmering nationwide. — Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026

Chinese anger over Sanrio’s range of soft toys, including Hello Kitty, dressed as spies from the show has simmered for days on social media and came to a head this week when Chinese state media ramped up the condemnation. — Reuters, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026

Noun

Bring to a simmer and cook until gravy is just starting to thicken, about 2 minutes. — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026

Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, adjusting the heat as necessary. — Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of English dialect simper, from Middle English simperen, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

1637, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1758, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing simmer

• simmer down

Rhymes for simmer

• brimmer
• dimmer
• glimmer
• grimmer
• nimmer
• rimmer
• shimmer
• skimmer
• slimmer
• swimmer
• timmer
• trimmer

Kids Definition

simmer

verb

sim·​mer

ˈsim-ər

simmered; simmering

-(ə-)riŋ

: to stew gently below or just at the boiling point

simmer noun