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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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
Recipe Tips for Shrimp Remoulade Use a liquid crab boil, like Zatarain’s brand, for the poaching liquid. — Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2026 While water service was restored to customers in Pāhala, a boil water notice was issued out of an abundance of caution. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
Mix yeast, 2 cups flour and salt in large mixing bowl and pour in hot water (not boiling), mixing well. — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Getting that apparently trivial behavior working involved Home Assistant, MQTT, custom software, and more Claude, Codex and ChatGPT tokens than one should reasonably associate with boiling pasta. — New Atlas, 27 Aug. 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
  • Each bite was unique — a pocket of cold sour cream here, the cheese only partially melted there, the last crisp cry of the ever-steaming French fries yonder.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The kitchen steams between 1,500 and 1,800 of three varieties every night at Adams Morgan’s 11-year-old Afghan hot spot.
    — Warren Rojas, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of steam
Verb
  • 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
  • Idda takes an epic approach to unearthing the packed layers of a stewing friendship.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Definition of stew
Verb
  • Three hurricanes — Karina, Lowell and Marie — are churning in the Pacific Ocean, a high level of activity that climate scientists say is on brand for El Niño, especially given that this year’s event is likely to become the strongest on record.
    — Denise Chow, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Trains rumble behind the main stadiums, Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong, while planes approaching and departing from La Guardia Airport bring their stomach-churning roars.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of churn
Noun
  • 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
  • In animals, the bacterium causes pustules and lesions, predominantly in cattle, sheep, and horses.
    — Helen Branswell, STAT, 11 May 2026
Definition of pustule
Verb
  • State Assembly Member John Harabedian, who represents Altadena, where the Eaton Fire killed 19 people and burned about 9,400 homes and structures, authored one of the bills passed this week.
    — Evan Bush, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Soviet Union was an archetypal fragile superpower, its red star burning bright before its dramatic final implosion.
    — Ben Bland, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • The pasta is impossibly fresh, the ragùs are slow-simmered and soulful, and the veal is so tender that it can be cut with a spoon.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
  • During Wallace and Shakur’s own rift, Knight and Combs’ own cold war simmered and ran even hotter than many initially believed.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of simmer
Verb
  • Using huge infrared telescopes that can see through that veil of dust, astronomers have been able to watch some of these stars swirling around the black hole.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Bethany Donaphin Head of WNBA league operations As rumors swirled about Engelbert’s enture, insiders around the league have been mentioning Donaphin as a potential replacement.
    — Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 4 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 7 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on boil

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boil

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