boil over
verb
boiled over; boiling over; boils over
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.
Examples of boil over in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The finale begins with the long-simmering gang war between the Crips and Colombians about to boil over, while Mike, Kyle, and Ian (Hugh Dillon) are determined to make Callahan pay for Tracy's murder.
—
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
Gradually whisk half-and-half mixture into sugar mixture, and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
As The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski mentioned in his column, Finch’s frustration boiled over after years of disliking the way the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder can be officiated in comparison to other teams.
—James Jackson, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
Bring to boiling over medium-high, whisking occasionally; reduce heat to medium.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boil over
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Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
Gradually whisk half-and-half mixture into sugar mixture, and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
As The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski mentioned in his column, Finch’s frustration boiled over after years of disliking the way the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder can be officiated in comparison to other teams.
—James Jackson, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
Bring to boiling over medium-high, whisking occasionally; reduce heat to medium.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boil over
Cite this Entry
“Boil over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil%20over. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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