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boil 1 of 2

noun

Definition of boilnext
as in blister
a small, inflamed swelling of the skin the dermatologist lanced the infected boil that had formed on the patient's neck

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boil

2 of 2

verb

ˈbȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce boil (audio)
1
as in to steam
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger the passengers were boiling when they found out the flight was delayed yet again

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2
as in to stew
to cook in a liquid heated to the point that it gives off steam boil the potatoes until they are tender before you try to mash them

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3
as in to churn
to be in a state of violent rolling motion the sea boiled and frothed during the storm

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of boil
Noun
Speculation about Aaron Glenn’s job security has reached a boil entering the 2026 season. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 7 Sep. 2026 At sufficiently low pressure, warm seawater boils at a temperature far below the usual 100 °C (212 °F). — New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
Waiting for Lefty The actor Steven Pasquale makes his directing debut with this revival of Clifford Odets’s 1935 play made famous by the Group Theatre, about the boiling tensions of a Depression-era New York cabdrivers’ strike. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026 Consider boiling your water for at least one to three minutes, depending on your altitude, to purify it. — Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boil
  1. blister
  2. steam
  3. stew
  4. churn
  5. pustule
  6. burn
  7. simmer
  8. swirl
Noun
  • After eventually being transferred to a nearby hospital, the resident was diagnosed with sepsis and toxic epidermal necrolysis, a rare and life-threatening skin condition which causes a person’s skin to blister.
    — Matan Josephy, Idaho Statesman, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Cabrera, the veteran starter acquired from the Miami Marlins, is scheduled for a rehab outing at Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday after a blister forced him to the IL.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of blister
Verb
  • Ground meat almost immediately releases its own juices into a warm skillet, causing the meat to steam instead of sear.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Their crabs are steamed, frozen and packed into boxes to be shipped to Sri Lanka, where workers remove the meat by hand.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of steam
Verb
  • The easygoing Mexican brunch, lunch and dinner spot became a Wesley Heights favorite for its authentic tacos, frozen drinks and stewed pork shoulder pozole rojo served with hominy, shredded cabbage, onions and cilantro over fresh tostadas.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Others are stewed with aromatics and oil to make a riotous take on XO sauce, funky and inky and complex, which gilds the hunks of squash under their corny beurre blanc.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of stew
Verb
  • That means Sunday’s performance will be scrutinized, especially since general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan have vowed to churn the bottom on Miami’s 53-man roster all season.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The stock was a pandemic darling that cratered, went through a messy acquisition saga, had activist investors at the door, and churned sideways while the rest of biotech tried to find its footing.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of churn
Noun
  • The infected children reported a range of skin and soft tissue symptoms, including spots, pustules, blisters, and abscesses.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • This causes small but often painful red pustules that cluster at the places where the hairstyle is pulling the tightest.
    — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of pustule
Verb
  • Some of her other drawings show animals disorientated in burning forests.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The Isles bled scoring chances last year, which eventually weighed on Ilya Sorokin and burned the team down the stretch.
    — Max Bultman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • Team officials and rival evaluators have echoed that sentiment since last winter, when questions about the feasibility of this group of five infielders first started to simmer.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Energy stocks — Several energy producers gained in the wake of higher prices for West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude oil as tensions in the Middle East simmered.
    — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of simmer
Verb
  • In fact, the exoplanet (or, planet outside of our solar system) was located 450 light-years away from Earth, still resting in the swirling gas and dust where it was born.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Miniature Bellinis, freshly frothed from large pitchers, swirled about on silver trays, happily scooped up by passersby.
    — Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of swirl

Phrases Containing boil

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bohos
boil
boil down
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Cite this Entry

“Boil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boil. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on boil

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boil

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