boil over

verb

boiled over; boiling over; boils over

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

ˈbȯi(-ə)l-ˌō-vər 

noun

Examples of boil over in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stirring regularly, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat, then turn off and let steep until the rice is ready. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026

Bring to a boil over medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2026

His dismissal wasn’t so much the result of one outburst or misstep, the person told The Times, but the culmination of a season’s worth of issues that boiled over in the wake of the Nebraska loss. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

After the meeting, Harper ascribed the tensions that boiled over to a divide between the board and the district’s teachers union on how to improve student achievement. — Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for boil over

• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover
• holdover
• layover
• leftover
• makeover
• moreover
• passover

Kids Definition

boil over

verb

1

: to overflow while boiling

2

: to become so angry as to lose one's temper