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

While the guanciale is rendering, add the broth to a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. — ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026

Tension between socialist figures such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Midwestern, swing-state lawmakers such as Shapiro and Fetterman had brewed for months but finally boiled over last week. — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 9 Nov. 2026

Hegseth impeachment Anger toward Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which was simmering before the elections, boiled over after the GOP's crippling losses, with intense criticism over his strategy in the Iran war. — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026

Add 2 tablespoons of the salt, and bring to a boil over high; boil until potatoes are tender when pierced using a fork, 12 to 15 minutes; drain. — Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 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