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
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 Therefore, boiling potassium-rich foods may reduce their nutrient content. Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 5 Feb. 2026 In a medium saucepan heat milk, sugar, and butter over medium, stirring occasionally, until very warm but not boiling. Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2026 In lieu of complicated controls and systems, these games seized on the high-energy gameplay of intense dogfighting moments, boiling it down into arcadey combat that was more accessible to the masses. Alan Bradley, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026 And Plaschke’s blood-boiling need to make the grand statement way before anything is certain doesn’t prove the Plaschke Curse is alive and well? Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026 Fans were apoplectic, their initial shock quickly boiling to anger. Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boiling
Adjective
  • Saturated in the heatwave colors of Australia’s scorching Red Center, with its searing blue skies and bright orange sands, Wolfram makes the grim, lawless backwater of Wake in Fright seem positively cosmopolitan by comparison.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Caramelizing lemon — by grilling, searing or sauteéing — is done in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.
    Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • After steaming each section and while the area is still warm, scrub with an old toothbrush to lift any grime.
    Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
  • It can also be used to wrap sandwiches or other items before heating to keep them secure, or for steaming proteins and vegetables, helping retain their moisture and nutrients.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Not so Wolverhampton Wanderers or West Ham United, who really are stewing in their own juices.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Giancarlo Stanton didn’t have much to say Tuesday with reports swirling that Tony Clark, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, planned to abruptly announce his resignation.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • In 1955, Universal arranged for closeted gay heartthrob Rock Hudson to be married off to his agent’s secretary amid swirling speculation about his sexuality.
    Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 17 Feb. 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
  • Operation Midnight Hammer benefited immensely from the frantic circumstances of the war raging between Israel and Iran at the time.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Everything about him was a daily routine of health, after daily routines of raging, probably.
    Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Revenue reform could ease long-simmering tensions.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Armenia and Azerbaijan turned to Trump to resolve a simmering dispute over a transportation corridor.
    Alan Cullison, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Part of what makes Nightborn both stomach-churning and thought-provoking is how all the crazy stuff happening is just a slightly — okay, substantially — exaggerated version of the reality so many first-time parents face.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Some nifty drives from Hill has helped keep the Aggies' offense churning despite a poor shooting afternoon so far.
    American Statesman staff, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Boiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boiling. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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