boil down

verb

boiled down; boiling down; boils down

transitive verb

1

: to reduce in bulk by boiling

2

: condense, summarize

boil down a report

intransitive verb

1

: to undergo reduction in bulk by boiling

2

a

: to be equivalent in summary : amount

his speech boiled down to a plea for more money

b

: to reduce ultimately

your choices boil down to three

Synonyms of boil down

• summarize
• outline

Examples of boil down in a Sentence

the discussion of the problem can be boiled down to a couple of critical points

Recent Examples on the Web

What makes a city attractive boils down to factors like affordability, quality of life, and safety. —Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 25 Feb. 2026

This term so far boils down to broken promises, petty revenge and a base too loyal and dumb to bail on him. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026

Desires boil down to very simple things—to sleep in bed and not in a cold bomb shelter; to wake up calmly and not from a siren of alarm or explosions; to take a warm shower in a warm room and to put clean clothes on. —Sophia Panych, Allure, 24 Feb. 2026

Instead, the new argument boils down to jurisdiction. —Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1723, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for boil down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

boil down

verb

: to reduce or become reduced by or as if by boiling

let the sauce boil down

boil down a report