as in summarizing
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 boiling down
The Nuggets can’t grab critical rebounds in battles that are routinely boiling down to Nikola Jokic versus three or four Wolves.
—
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
Lightning Bolt have less interest in construction or expansion, instead boiling down their already heavy sound into a dense, nutrient-rich slurry.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026
Drinks In the drinks department, blueberries are excellent for freezing into ice cubes, infusing into water or tea, or boiling down into a simple syrup, says Hall.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Paul fears art imitating life by also boiling down to breadline survival strategies.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
Lightning Bolt have less interest in construction or expansion, instead boiling down their already heavy sound into a dense, nutrient-rich slurry.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026
Drinks In the drinks department, blueberries are excellent for freezing into ice cubes, infusing into water or tea, or boiling down into a simple syrup, says Hall.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Paul fears art imitating life by also boiling down to breadline survival strategies.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boiling down
Verb
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Using all the evidence, TX Tax pulls together a report summarizing your property data, comparisons with similar homes nearby, and other pertinent details.—
Malarie Gokey,
Houston Chronicle,
1 May 2026
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Early generative AI tools accelerated discrete tasks—drafting text, summarizing documents, writing code, or answering customer questions.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Freedom to fly When asked about summing up the company’s contributions to the nation over the years, West highlighed Southwest’s democratic nature.—
The Oklahoman,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
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Perhaps summing up her Survivor experience to a T, Wendy Jo got lost walking out of Tribal Council after having her torch snuffed.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This week, Bonta joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general from mainly Democratic states submitting a comment letter to the Postal Service outlining their opposition.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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In past election cycles, candidates are given a slip of paper outlining the dual requirement.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Boiling down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boiling%20down. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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