boil over

verb

boiled over; boiling over; boils over

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 

noun

Examples of boil over in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As a result, water is often scarce, and small protests have erupted, despite the fear of being detained, as anger and frustration boil over. — Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026

Working people, meanwhile, continue to struggle with the rising cost of living, and discontent seems destined to boil over. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 40 minutes. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026

Tensions boiled over during a West Park City Commission meeting with commissioners arguing on the dais before three walked out, leaving the meeting without a quorum. — Chelsea Jones, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for boil over

• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover
• holdover
• layover
• leftover
• makeover
• moreover
• passover

Kids Definition

boil over

verb

1

: to overflow while boiling

2

: to become so angry as to lose one's temper