seethe

1 of 2

verb

ˈsēṯẖ 

seethed; seething

intransitive verb

1

: to suffer violent internal excitement

seethe with jealousy

2

a

: to be in a state of rapid agitated movement

b

: to churn or foam as if boiling

3

archaic : boil

transitive verb

1

: to soak or saturate in a liquid

2

archaic : boil, stew

seethe

2 of 2

noun

: a state of seething : ebullition

Synonyms

Verb

• boil
• churn
• moil
• roil

Examples of seethe in a Sentence

Verb

He seethed at his brother's success.

We found ourselves in the middle of a seething crowd.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

While Ray’s character spends much of Dope Thief quietly seething at his father, his relationship with the adoptive mother in his life, Theresa, played by Kate Mulgrew, propels the series forward. —Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025

But recognition of Fonda’s trademark remoteness — that singular seething Tom Joad portrayal — almost justifies the intrusion. —Armond White, National Review, 4 Apr. 2025

Noun

Not ambition to succeed on the world’s terms (though that asserted its own maddening static) but ambition to find forms for the seethe of rage, remembrance, and wild vitality that seemed, unaccountably, like sound inside me, demanding language but prelinguistic, somehow. —Christian Wiman, Harper's Magazine, 2 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sethen, from Old English sēothan; akin to Old High German siodan to seethe and probably to Old Lithuanian siausti (it) storms, rages

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun

1816, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for seethe

• breathe

Kids Definition

seethe

verb

ˈsēt͟h

seethed; seething

1

: to churn or foam as if boiling

the river rapids seethed

2

: to be upset or in a state of great excitement

was seething with rage