boils 1 of 2

plural of boil
as in blisters
a small, inflamed swelling of the skin the dermatologist lanced the infected boil that had formed on the patient's neck

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boils

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of boil
1
2
as in stews
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

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3
as in churns
to be in a state of violent rolling motion the sea boiled and frothed during the storm

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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 boils
Noun
Baker inquires about the design of the hunchback and hovers his hand above her bulbous boils. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025 Those include fish boils, something usually associated with Wisconsin’s Door County. Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025 Bathing daily and keeping your buttocks clean and dry can help prevent boils, folliculitis, and other skin conditions. Sherri Gordon, Health, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Gretchen is just as bad as Tamra, two boils on the same hairy ass. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025 Once sugar is dissolved, cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture boils. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025 How could something that boils water ever get dirty? Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025 Their eponymous theme sets the tone with a churning brew of twinkling synths and ritualistic percussion, both of which are eventually subsumed into the supernatural (represented by the theremin) before a crash of guitar boils everything together into chaos. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025 However, these blemishes are often a skin condition other than acne, such as folliculitis, boils, contact dermatitis, or keratosis pilaris. Sherri Gordon, Health, 14 Aug. 2025 The water boils quickly and makes the mug piping hot in less than a minute. Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Aug. 2025 Castillo boils that moment in history down to a few paragraphs that are at once informative and blistering. Sarah Rose Etter, The Atlantic, 6 Aug. 2025 Whereas sunlight boils water for the electrical grid, starlight generates a mere trickle of electricity on large photodiodes that are like the cells of a solar panel. Victoria Corless, Space.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boils
Verb
  • The clip then smash-cuts to a scene of Bruce as a child listening to his parents fight in the next room, and we’re meant to understand that the joy and power that steams off of the stage is a cure for the pain of childhood wounds.
    Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025
  • At its heart sits Viti, a striking blue crater lake that steams invitingly in contrast to the stark black landscape.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Now Zelensky arrives less as a supplicant and more like a friend and partner, while Russian President Vladimir Putin stews in the Kremlin, frozen—for the moment—from the diplomatic conversations.
    Tom Nagorski, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Forecasters are monitoring a busy Atlantic Ocean after Tropical Storm Humberto formed in the Central Tropical Atlantic, as Hurricane Gabrielle churns to the northeast, and a third potential cyclone threatens to follow.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
  • As Hurricane Gabrielle churns in the open Atlantic, forecasters are watching two tropical waves that could soon develop – signs the slow hurricane season is beginning to heat up.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In fact, one of the most common triggers of rosacea, which is characterized by flushing, swelling, spider veins, papules, and pustules, is exposure to sunlight.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Research suggests that pimple patches aren't effective on cystic acne, pustules, or blackheads.
    Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Of course, the Tilly Norwood debate rages on in Hollywood.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Or to be safe and dry as a storm rages outside?
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the new movie starring Denzel Washington, the camera rollicks, the edit clips at warp speed, and the sound mix explodes in Lee's coruscating New York — but the primordial ethical conflict at its heart simmers the same.
    EW Staff Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The lights are dim and jazzy music swirls the intimate crowd.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025
  • But as the trial date approaches and uncertainty swirls over what the lawsuit could mean for the future of stock car racing, many of the team owners expressed a feeling of urgency to see the litigation resolved and indicated the current charter system was vital for their continued existence.
    Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Adult acne is characterized by red, angry pimples that typically occur along the lower third of the face around the jawline.
    Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 17 Oct. 2025
  • As for this new creation, human clinical trials confirmed the pimples completely disappeared after seven days of treatment, according to the team.
    Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Boils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boils. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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