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
When oil begins boiling, about 2 minutes, very carefully add the onion, gently pushing into the oil. C.w. Cameron, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026 The key is that this happens at cool temperatures, rather than boiling the liquid. William Jones, Ascend Agency, 27 Feb. 2026 As the city flushes the system, impacted customers are being told not to drink the water, wash dishes, prepare food, or brush your teeth without boiling the water or using bottled water. Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026 Old or Previously Boiled Water Leaving water in your tea kettle and boiling it again won't do your tea any favors. Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 Feb. 2026 The boiling bin freezing especially scares me. Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Feb. 2026 My blood was boiling a little bit. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2026 Some liked to have them on hand, and others couldn’t fathom not boiling eggs themselves. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026 To help break down grease residue, pour near-boiling water down the drain once a week. Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boiling
Adjective
  • The scandal caused a searing public spotlight to be cast on UConn Health’s financial management practices.
    Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
  • The series is equal parts sweeping romance and searing exploration of fame and family in the social media age.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Just presented to you like a steaming basket of biscuits.
    Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Mar. 2026
  • If the first four episodes of Bridgerton’s swoon-worthy fourth season were about desperate, hungry yearning, then the final four were more about, er, consummation—complete with secret trysts, steaming hot baths, false identities, and genuinely big shocks.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 26 Feb. 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
  • Highway seems to be a deliberate effort to pick up where the band left off, dialing back the guitar distortion to make space for swirling organ chords and surprisingly danceable beats.
    Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 4 Mar. 2026
  • In this state, atomic magnetic moments arrange themselves into swirling vortex patterns.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 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
  • Clearly, there are aspects of this Paris house’s past that are still little known, despite Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain army and Christophe Decarnin’s raging aughts success.
    Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Weigh in on that argument that is now going to be raging on Capitol Hill.
    NBC news, NBC news, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In the end, a small delegation — including the team’s head coach — attended the ceremony, but the conflict gave a tangible example of the tension that was already simmering.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
  • What begins as a domestic imbalance turns literal when Les accidentally shrinks Lindy to doll size during a botched experiment, forcing the pair to confront long-simmering tensions in entirely new ways.
    Arushi Jacob, Variety, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Something has got to give, meaning parents must make a stomach-churning sacrifice somewhere.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Rosi shows us cranes and other instruments churning away, with no one in sight.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Boiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boiling. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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