boil

verb

ˈbȯi(-ə)l 

boiled; boiling; boils

intransitive verb

1

a

: to come to the boiling point

b

: to generate bubbles of vapor when heated

—used of a liquid

c

: to cook in boiling water

2

: to become agitated : seethe

3

: to be moved, excited, or stirred up

4

a

: to rush headlong

b

: to burst forth

5

: to undergo the action of a boiling liquid

transitive verb

1

: to subject to the action of a boiling liquid

2

: to heat to the boiling point

3

: to form or separate (something, such as sugar or salt) by boiling

boilable

ˈbȯi-lə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms of boil

• steam
• burn
• rage
• storm
• foam

Examples of boil in a Sentence

Keep the temperature low enough so the mixture will not boil.

a pot of boiling water

french fries cooked in boiling oil

Recent Examples on the Web

The shrimp basket at B&J's Steak and Seafood includes a half pound of shrimp fried, grilled, blackened or boiled. —Bill Dawers - For The Ajc, AJC.com, 2 June 2026

Cook and stir over medium-high until boiling. —Jessica Saari Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2026

Begin by pouring approximately 2 cups of hot boiling hot or boiling water down the sink drain. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 30 May 2026

London — On a boiling hot day in England, Jordan Dawson walks into a London pub with a tote bag by his side. —Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French buillir, boillir, from Latin bullire to bubble, from bulla bubble

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing boil

• boil away
• boil down
• boil over
• boil up
• hard-boil
• make someone's blood boil
• off the boil
• on the boil
• rolling boil
• slow boil
• went off the boil

Rhymes for boil

• broil
• coil
• foil
• oil
• roil
• soil
• spoil
• toil
• voile
• aerofoil
• cinquefoil
• hydrofoil

Kids Definition

boil

1 of 3 noun

ˈbȯi(ə)l 

: a painful swollen inflamed area of the skin resulting from infection compare carbuncle sense 2

boil

2 of 3 verb

1

a

: to produce bubbles of vapor when heated

the water is boiling

b

: to come or bring to the boiling point

the coffee boiled

2

: to churn violently as if boiling

boiling floodwaters

3

: to be excited or stirred up

boil with anger

4

: to go through or cause to go through the action of a boiling liquid

boil eggs

boil

3 of 3 noun

: the act or state of boiling

bring to a boil

Etymology

an altered form of Middle English bile "a boil," from Old English bȳl (same meaning)

Middle English boilen "to boil," from early French boillir, derived from Latin bulla "a bubble" — related to bill entry 3, bowl entry 2

Medical Definition

boil

noun

ˈbȯi(ə)l 

: a localized swelling and inflammation of the skin resulting from usually bacterial infection of a hair follicle and adjacent tissue, having a hard central core, and forming pus

called also furuncle