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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Schools in the county closed in early November 2026 due to a boil water order. — Marlee Shaffer, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2026 Snow crab legs, green mussels and big shrimp boil are options for the Cajun side, while pho options include pho dac biet (a combination of beef cuts), pho tai san (seafood mix) and pho ga (tender chicken). — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026
Verb
Plus, the sauce cooks while the pasta boils, putting this firmly in weeknight-dinner territory. — Rachel Gurjar, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026 For thorough cleaning, consider boiling the pumice stone for up to five minutes. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 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
  • All Jess knew was that her old pointy-toed flats had raised a blister on her left heel.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The Paralympian developed a blister at the site of his amputation, which made movement painful.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of blister
Verb
  • Channel 4’s website doesn’t currently offer any episodes for steaming on demand.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Kitchens with Vietnamese roots began dishing up teriyaki alongside steaming bowlfuls of pho.
    — Allecia Vermillion, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of steam
Verb
  • The cover art for The Holy Cross Tigers is awash in burgundy, a more ambiguous shade that’s indicative of the oppositional emotions stewing within.
    — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The Fighting Irish have had a couple weeks to stew over what happened at BYU and will take it out on an underperforming Navy defense.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of stew
Verb
  • As Election Day churned into the afternoon, some UCF students continued to have trouble voting at the on-campus precinct due to pre-registration issues.
    — Roger Simmons, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Other videos and photos shared on social media showed people standing on a pedestrian bridge taking photos and videos as churning, brown waters rushed underneath.
    — Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 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
  • Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital in September, which her attorneys say probably did not enter her bloodstream correctly and instead pooled in her arms, leaving them burned and blistered.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • From waste to carbon Waste incineration plants produce CO2 while burning residual waste in order to generate electricity.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • Hegseth impeachment Anger toward Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which was simmering before the elections, boiled over after the GOP's crippling losses, with intense criticism over his strategy in the Iran war.
    — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The bones are then added to a pot with fresh thyme and black peppercorns, covered with cold water, and simmered on low heat overnight.
    — Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of simmer
Verb
  • Several shops on the Street downgraded the artificial intelligence infrastructure stock, citing the leadership questions that are swirling around Nvidia in the wake of the scandal.
    — Kif Leswing,Annie Palmer,Kevin Breuninger,Samantha Subin,Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Dancers on the Senegalese team mix traditional moves into their routines from national styles such as mbalax and Yela, swirling their arms and legs in a windmill-like motion.
    — Ricci Shryock, NPR, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of swirl

Phrases Containing boil

Browse Nearby Words

bohos
boil
boil down
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boil. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on boil

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boil

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All