boil over

verb

boiled over; boiling over; boils over

intransitive verb

1
: to overflow while boiling
2
: to become so incensed as to lose one's temper
boilover noun

Examples of boil over in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That excitement likely boiled over into an overly enthusiastic barrage. R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 14 Dec. 2024 And those frustrations have boiled over in the response to his death, ranging from widespread jokes to outright celebrations. Maria Aspan, NPR, 12 Dec. 2024 At an October community meeting for this rezoning effort, tensions boiled over when a housing opponent stormed the stage, attempting to grab the microphone from Berkeley Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani. Rigel Robinson, The Mercury News, 7 Dec. 2024 Anger boiled over in February, when local media reported police responded to a physical altercation between locals and Haitians in which two people were injured. Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for boil over 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boil over was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near boil over

Cite this Entry

“Boil over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil%20over. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

boil over

verb
1
: to overflow while boiling
2
: to become so angry as to lose one's temper

More from Merriam-Webster on boil over

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!