boiling 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbȯi(-ə)-liŋ How to pronounce boiling (audio)
Definition of boilingnext
as in searing
having a notably high temperature it was boiling in that car, and the owners had foolishly left their pet in it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

boiling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of boil
1
as in steaming
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger the passengers were boiling when they found out the flight was delayed yet again

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2
as in stewing
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 swirling
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 boiling
Adjective
More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing. — semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025 Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life. — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025 One idea is that about a million years after the Big Bang, the universe cooled and underwent a phase transition, an event similar to how boiling water turns liquid into gas. — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2020 If candy is still stuck on, pour more boiling water over whatever hasn’t come clean. — Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 The simplest fix could be as easy as boiling water—boil a medium-size pot once or twice per week, and pour down the drain. — Country Living Staff, Country Living, 14 Oct. 2019 Although boiling water is always a set temperature, eggs coming from the fridge or countertop are not. — Genevieve Ko, latimes.com, 18 June 2019 Organizers shared tips to help prevent the virus, which include washing hands with soap for more than 30 seconds, eating food that is thoroughly cooked and boiling water before drinking. — Rachel Axon, USA TODAY Sports, 6 Feb. 2018
Verb
Mix yeast, 2 cups flour and salt in large mixing bowl and pour in hot water (not boiling), mixing well. — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Getting that apparently trivial behavior working involved Home Assistant, MQTT, custom software, and more Claude, Codex and ChatGPT tokens than one should reasonably associate with boiling pasta. — New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2026 The clip, filmed last month, appeared to show a young man standing on a table at a Haidilao branch in Shanghai urinating into a vat of boiling broth. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 Specifically, the heat from boiling water breaks down the plant’s cell membranes, disrupting its ability to grow and ultimately leading to death. — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 Aug. 2026 Whisk together boiling water and strawberry gelatin in a large bowl until dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026 Stir in 31/2 cups water, the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, and pepper; bring to boiling. — Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2026 Stir into the boiling milk and boil on low heat until thick, stirring all the time. — David Morgan, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 The utter carnage that follows brings major developments for all the main characters still on the chessboard — and many gruesome deaths by dragon fire, boiling oil, spikes and even catapults. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boiling
  1. searing
  2. steaming
  3. stewing
  4. swirling
  5. burning
  6. raging
  7. simmering
  8. churning
Adjective
  • The rolling mountain landscape becomes an undulating patchwork quilt of searing scarlets, terracottas, vermillions, and more.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Once the film was released, critics widely praised Page’s searing performance as the doomed Greek soldier Sinon, and even some of Page’s detractors online were won over by his work.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of searing
Verb
  • Each bite was unique — a pocket of cold sour cream here, the cheese only partially melted there, the last crisp cry of the ever-steaming French fries yonder.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Their sound was described as a hybrid mixing elements of rock, blues and funk into a steaming-hot Houston stew.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of steaming
Verb
  • Idda takes an epic approach to unearthing the packed layers of a stewing friendship.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 21 July 2026
  • Roasting, stewing, baking—those are all great ways to make okra.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
Definition of stewing
Verb
  • Now, a new enigmatic 10-sided feature known as the decagon has been spotted swirling on the complete opposite side of the ringed planet.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Early Tuesday morning, Anaheim mayor Ashleigh Aitken started getting a slew of calls and texts — rumors were swirling about a potential landmark day in her hometown.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of swirling
Adjective
  • Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Definition of burning
Verb
  • Late one August afternoon in a Manhattan editing suite, with thunder and lightning raging outside, a storm was also brewing inside.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Amid the wars raging in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as the unrest in the United States, jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal was asked whether cinema should be political.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of raging
Verb
  • In the end, however, Mitić’s intrepid approach is undeniably bracing, and held together at its core by Kostić’s simmering performance.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Their simmering chemistry carries the narrative through war, hardship, romance and tragedy, set to the now-beloved score by Maurice Jarre.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of simmering
Verb
  • Cramer also pushed back on the notion that Cook was merely a skilled operator who kept Apple's machine churning.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Ashcroft keeps the pace steady and the atmosphere churning, while Deming conjures a more generic but perfectly effective air of menace in damp shades of brown and teal.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of churning

Phrases Containing boiling

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boiled over
boiling
boiling down
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Cite this Entry

“Boiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boiling. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on boiling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boiling

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