boiling 1 of 2

Definition of boilingnext

boiling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of boil
1
2
as in stewing
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 swirling
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 boiling
Adjective
More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing. semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025 Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life. Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025 One idea is that about a million years after the Big Bang, the universe cooled and underwent a phase transition, an event similar to how boiling water turns liquid into gas. Yasemin Saplakoglu, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2020 If candy is still stuck on, pour more boiling water over whatever hasn’t come clean. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 The simplest fix could be as easy as boiling water—boil a medium-size pot once or twice per week, and pour down the drain. Country Living Staff, Country Living, 14 Oct. 2019 Although boiling water is always a set temperature, eggs coming from the fridge or countertop are not. Genevieve Ko, latimes.com, 18 June 2019 Organizers shared tips to help prevent the virus, which include washing hands with soap for more than 30 seconds, eating food that is thoroughly cooked and boiling water before drinking. Rachel Axon, USA TODAY Sports, 6 Feb. 2018 More boiling water: Boil water advisories typically happen due to a water main break and/or a loss of pressure in the water system. Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press, 24 Oct. 2017
Verb
The waters the real Dahl waded into were boiling then and haven’t dropped a degree since. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026 The official was one of three who compared their recent experience at NRC to being in a pot of slowly boiling water. Avi Asher-Schapiro, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026 The experience typically involves boiling pots of soup placed directly on tables, often reaching temperatures that can cause serious burns. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026 Is steaming better than boiling eggs for deviled eggs? Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026 The smoke kept rising and the clouds continued to throb with sickly yellow-and-black whorls until just after sunset, when the boiling mass of vapor suddenly turned pink and scarlet, like a poisonous flower opening its petals. New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026 Finding such nuts indicates that they were eaten at that time but must have undergone cooking processes — whether boiling or roasting — that effectively remove cyanide. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026 The collegiate pot is boiling, and sooner or later will go over the top. Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026 Pairing your iron-rich foods with vitamin C and boiling the veggies before eating may help promote absorption of the iron in the intestines. Joy Emeh, Health, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boiling
Adjective
  • But as Lumpkin sat at the defense table, the victim’s family delivered searing statements that undercut her long-standing claims of abuse, portraying her instead as a calculating, coldblooded killer.
    Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
  • There are no national – or local – media outlets setting up for live broadcasts on this searing hot afternoon.
    Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • That includes popular dishes such as golden-brown birria tacos and steaming molcajete.
    Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Is steaming better than boiling eggs for deviled eggs?
    Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • After nine episodes spent stewing in suspicion, the CBS legal drama has released the tension from one of its biggest secrets and forced Julian into action.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Short cooking preparations of okra, such as frying or sauteeing, release less mucilage than long ones, such as stewing.
    Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • With reports swirling these past few weeks, the corporation confirmed Wednesday that former Google EMEA chief Matt Brittin will take on the most powerful role in British broadcasting, replacing Tim Davie.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
  • That's the debate swirling around a Cuban program that sends tens of thousands of doctors and other medical professionals abroad to care for people.
    Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?
    Victoria Edel, People.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • An impassioned group of parents and alumni has spent the last five months fighting to reverse the inclusion of girls, raging against what school leaders have repeatedly emphasized is a nonnegotiable final decision.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
  • The Texas high school baseball season is raging on, and several Fort Worth-area athletes have had stellar performances.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Rather, the flare-up is a result of an intensification of long-simmering, historical security concerns along the Durand Line.
    Rabia Akhtar, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Frustration is simmering among parents who say their young children are spending too much classroom time online, disrupting their learning and development at a critical time and clashing with stricter screen restrictions at home.
    Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Before this experience, Stem started her days scrolling social media and the news, churning up feelings of anger like storms in her mind.
    Natalia V. Osipova, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
  • The company is taking steps to reduce non-essential activity at its mining and haulage operations in Western Australia, according to a filing from Fenix, which also cited fuel supply disruptions posed by Tropical Cyclone Narelle currently churning off the coast.
    Katharine Gemmell, Bloomberg, 26 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Boiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boiling. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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