boil over

verb

boiled over; boiling over; boils over
Synonyms of boil overnext

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 noun

Examples of boil over in a Sentence

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 his frustration boiled over to his social media afterwards, in a post on his Instagram Stories. Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025 Bring to a boil over medium, stirring constantly using a heat-proof rubber spatula. Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2025 Minaj took offense to Cardi’s comments about the track in an interview with Capital XTRA, which boiled over into a brawl at a New York Fashion Week party in 2018. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 11 Dec. 2025 And that responsibility can boil over into anger, resentment and stress. Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for boil over

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boil over was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boil over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil%20over. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

boil over

verb
1
: to overflow while boiling
2
: to become so angry as to lose one's temper

More from Merriam-Webster on boil over

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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