boil down
verb
boiled down; boiling down; boils down
1
: to undergo reduction in bulk by boiling
2
a
: to be equivalent in summary : amount
his speech boiled down to a plea for more money
b
: to reduce ultimately
your choices boil down to three
Examples of boil down in a Sentence
the discussion of the problem can be boiled down to a couple of critical points
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite a plurality of objectives, matches boil down to the same mission: survival.
—
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
The philosophy boils down to a simple goal: avoiding aging.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 21 Mar. 2025
The success of this $270M production boils down to whether families with daughters go on Saturday and Sunday.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2025
The difference between 10 days or nearly a year in jail should not boil down to a question over which corner someone was ticketed on, or which court a case is referred to.
—Jay Fisher, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boil down
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.
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
The philosophy boils down to a simple goal: avoiding aging.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 21 Mar. 2025
The success of this $270M production boils down to whether families with daughters go on Saturday and Sunday.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2025
The difference between 10 days or nearly a year in jail should not boil down to a question over which corner someone was ticketed on, or which court a case is referred to.
—Jay Fisher, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boil down
Cite this Entry
“Boil down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil%20down. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share