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

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 To promote the remix, Kanye shared an X-rated meme that boiled down to saying fans of J. Cole don’t have very much luck with women. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2024 Agave nectar: Made from the agave plant (the same plant that is distilled to make tequila), the sap is boiled down into a syrup and used as a sweetener. Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2024 Some of the dispute between the IBEW Local 18 and the city attorney’s office boils down to whether the DWP is included in the city charter’s prohibition against taking another city job after retirement. Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The legal definition of plagiarism is broad and ambiguous, and boils down to unacknowledged copying. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Whether the new mixture of talent and tone provides enough rationale for Netflix to invest its relatively new money is debatable for a show whose appeal, beyond the general atmosphere, mostly boils down to smoke and mirrors. Brian Lowry, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024 Overall, the program is informed by a conservative logic that largely boils down to God, family, tradition, law and order, defense and freedom. Alexander Hinton, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2024 What the entertainment unions are negotiating for in this area boils down to two words: consent and compensation. Dan Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024 Demand for protection boils down to trader expectations, according to Rohan Reddy, director of research at Global X Management. Carly Wanna, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boil down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1723, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boil down was in 1723

Dictionary Entries Near boil down

Cite this Entry

“Boil down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil%20down. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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