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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024 Tbilisi is boiling over with incessant demonstrations - again. Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 Her most recent and most reckless invocations of the darkest evil of the 20th century seem to dare it to boil over. Soo Rin Kim, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024 As conflicts boil over in the Middle East and Ukraine, there has been a jump in cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, said Courtney Adante, president of security risk advisory at Teneo. Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 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 14 Nov. 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!