simmer

1 of 2

verb

sim·​mer ˈsi-mər 

simmered; simmering ˈsi-mə-riŋ 

ˈsim-riŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to stew gently below or just at the boiling point

2

a

: to be in a state of incipient development : ferment

ideas simmering in the back of my mind

b

: to be in inward turmoil : seethe

transitive verb

: to cook slowly in a liquid just below the boiling point

simmer

2 of 2

noun

: the state of simmering

Synonyms of simmer

Verb

• boil

Examples of simmer in a Sentence

Verb

Simmer the stew for 40 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

The chicken was simmered in a cream sauce.

The dispute simmered for years before any progress was made.

It's a debate that has simmered for 30 years and is likely to continue.

Long-simmering tensions between the two groups eventually sparked violence.

Noun

Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In the center of the room, a few feet from the spiral staircase covered in chili pepper string lights, a dozen people simmered in the navel-high spa waters of a cylindrical tub. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026

Within the lab, three current and one former employee told Fortune tensions were already simmering. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026

Noun

The Michelin Key retreat named for the patron saint of music simmers with classic ’60s and ’70s energy, exuding the era’s powerful rock revolution with a lending library of vinyls, Rega turntables, and rock biographies. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026

Bring tomatoes to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high; reduce heat to medium. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of English dialect simper, from Middle English simperen, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

1637, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1758, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing simmer

• simmer down

Rhymes for simmer

• brimmer
• dimmer
• glimmer
• grimmer
• nimmer
• rimmer
• shimmer
• skimmer
• slimmer
• swimmer
• timmer
• trimmer

Kids Definition

simmer

verb

sim·​mer

ˈsim-ər

simmered; simmering

-(ə-)riŋ

: to stew gently below or just at the boiling point

simmer noun