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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And in his view, it’s all been boiled down to one thing: a continuous iterative process to use black on a woman’s body. Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 28 June 2025 According to Gimple, the story choice boils down to wanting to find a new iteration of Negan and Maggie who can finally set aside their past and move forward toward a future where New York actually stands a chance of returning to civilization. Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025 The gravity of his presence at the festival, in part, boils down to his connection to Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, which stars the festival’s co-founder, Robert De Niro, as Marine veteran and taxi driver, Travis Bickle. Raven Brunner, People.com, 23 June 2025 Washington’s asks boil down to three items: combating the Islamic State militant group, consolidating its authority to prevent chaos, and respecting the rights of ethnic and sectarian minorities in the country, some of whom, like the Kurds in Eastern Syria, have been long-standing U.S. partners. Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for boil down

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

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Cite this Entry

“Boil down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil%20down. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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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