seethe

1 of 2

verb

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

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
We're used to seething resentments and bizarre claims, boasts and lies. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 1 Oct. 2024 The castle at the center of the island was wrapped in renovation plastic, not in peacock feathers; peacocks did not seethe four thick upon the ground. Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 28 Sep. 2024
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. Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2024 As any thinking adult must surely know by now, history seethes with untold narratives. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for seethe 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seethe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of seethe was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near seethe

Cite this Entry

“Seethe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seethe. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on seethe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!