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
Bring broth in Dutch oven to a rapid boil over medium-high.
—
Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
Tensions boil over as Packers spoil Rodgers' milestone chance against former team.
—FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Bring to a boil over high heat.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Left unexamined for too long, Springsteen’s childhood trauma boils over upon his return to New Jersey, and songwriting becomes the primary outlet to process his past.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boil over
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Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
Tensions boil over as Packers spoil Rodgers' milestone chance against former team.
—FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Bring to a boil over high heat.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Left unexamined for too long, Springsteen’s childhood trauma boils over upon his return to New Jersey, and songwriting becomes the primary outlet to process his past.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 24 Oct. 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 6 Nov. 2025.
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