as in to summarize
to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report)
the discussion of the problem can be boiled down to a couple of critical points
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Recent Examples of boil down
The neon skyline of the city is somewhat pretty, but most levels — from underground clubs to ethereal dimensions — mostly boil down to a series of tight corridors, routinely recycling their layouts.
—
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
The issue boils down to Pulisic himself — and the importance of maintaining the health of a star who is not exactly new to fitness worries.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The debate often boils down to whether a person should be allowed to terminate their pregnancy.
—Seda Saluk, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025
In Phoenix, this boils down to water.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boil down
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
The issue boils down to Pulisic himself — and the importance of maintaining the health of a star who is not exactly new to fitness worries.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The debate often boils down to whether a person should be allowed to terminate their pregnancy.
—Seda Saluk, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025
In Phoenix, this boils down to water.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boil down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boil down
Verb
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This Batul Hassan piece in Jacobin summarizes some of Mamdani’s more popular plans.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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The resulting feature was published on March 14, 2022, publicly summarizing the case for the first time in years and providing Army CID contact information.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The team has developed their methodology using SA Pathways and Protocols, while also building on protocols outlined by the Nuclear Truth Project, which fosters collaboration between First Nations peoples affected by testing.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 Nov. 2025
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This past summer, the filmmakers embarked on a cross-country tour, meeting with executives at major theater chains to screen the film and outline their marketing and self-distribution strategy.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Boil down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boil%20down. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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