Boiling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb verb /ˈbȯi(-ə)-liŋ/ boil·ing

Meaning & Definition of Boiling

Boiling (adjective)

  1. heated to the boiling point
  2. torrid
  3. intensely agitated

Boiling (adverb)

  1. to an extreme degree, very

Boiling (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having a notably high temperature

    "it was boiling in that car, and the owners had foolishly left their pet in it"

    similar: ardent, broiling, burning, fervent, fervid, fiery, hot, piping hot, red, red-hot, roasting, scalding, scorching, searing, sultry, superheated, sweltering, torrid, ultrahot, white-hot
    related: blazing, glowing, igneous, molten, seething, sizzling, heated, overheated, reheated, warmed, snug, toasty, warm, warmish, feverish, flushed, inflamed, canicular, muggy, steamy, summerlike, summery, tropical
    opposite: algid, arctic, bitter, bone-chilling, cold, freezing, frigid, frozen, glacial, ice-cold, iced, icy
    near: chill, chilly, coldish, cool, coolish, nippy, snappy, blizzardly, frosty, snowy, subfreezing, subzero, wintry, chilled, cooled, refrigerated, unheated, benumbed, numb, shivering

Boiling (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger

    "the passengers were boiling when they found out the flight was delayed yet again"

    similar: burning, foaming, fuming, raging, rankling, seething, sizzling, steaming, storming, seeing red
    related: fulminating, ranting, raving, smoldering, bristling, flaring (up), inflaming, chafing, fretting, stewing, agitating, convulsing, roiling, shaking

  2. 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"

    similar: coddling, parboiling, poaching, simmering, stewing
    related: scalding, braising, fricasseeing, pressure-cooking, smothering, steaming, reboiling

  3. to be in a state of violent rolling motion

    "the sea boiled and frothed during the storm"

    similar: churning, moiling, roiling, seething
    related: reeling, spinning, swirling, whirling, agitating, stirring
    near: abating, calming, subsiding

Related Entry: Boil (verb)

Boil is a different word from Boiling. The synonyms below are for boil, not for boiling.

  1. to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger

    "the passengers were boiling when they found out the flight was delayed yet again"

    similar: burn, foam, fume, rage, rankle, seethe, sizzle, steam, storm, see red
    related: fulminate, rant, rave, smolder, bristle, flare (up), inflame, chafe, fret, stew, agitate, convulse, roil, shake

  2. 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"

    similar: coddle, parboil, poach, simmer, stew
    related: scald, braise, fricassee, pressure-cook, smother, steam, reboil

  3. to be in a state of violent rolling motion

    "the sea boiled and frothed during the storm"

    similar: churn, moil, roil, seethe
    related: reel, spin, swirl, whirl, agitate, stir
    near: abate, calm, subside

Related Entry: Boiling point (noun)

Boiling point is a different word from Boiling. The synonyms below are for boiling point, not for boiling.

  1. a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action

    "when the situation reached the boiling point, the President had no choice but to order out the National Guard"

    similar: breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, exigency, extremity, flash point, head, juncture, tinderbox, zero hour, moment of truth, point of no return
    related: contingency, possibility, climax, turning point, happening, landmark, milestone, condition, pass, situation, strait, deadlock, impasse, stalemate, corner, fix, hole, hot water, jam, last ditch, pinch, predicament, scrape, spot, eleventh hour, last minute

Related Entry: Boiling over (verb)

Boiling over is a different word from Boiling. The synonyms below are for boiling over, not for boiling.

  1. as in running over, welling (up)

    similar: running over, spilling, welling (up), overfilling, overflowing, flowing, flushing, gushing, pouring, sluicing, spouting, spurting, streaming, deluging, drowning, engulfing, flooding, inundating, overwhelming, submerging, submersing, swamping, washing (over), brimming, cascading, slopping, sloshing
    opposite: receding

Related Entry: Boiling points (noun)

Boiling points is a different word from Boiling. The synonyms below are for boiling points, not for boiling.

  1. a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action

    "when the situation reached the boiling point, the President had no choice but to order out the National Guard"

    similar: breaking points, clutches, conjunctures, crises, crossroads, crunches, crunch times, Dunkirks, emergencies, exigencies, extremities, flash points, heads, junctures, tinderboxes, zero hours, moments of truth, points of no return
    related: contingencies, possibilities, climaxes, turning points, happenings, landmarks, milestones, conditions, passes, situations, straits, deadlocks, impasses, stalemates, corners, fixes, holes, hot waters, jams, last ditches, pinches, predicaments, scrapes, spots, eleventh hours, last minutes

Related Entry: Boiling down (verb)

Boiling down is a different word from Boiling. The synonyms below are for boiling down, not for boiling.

  1. to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report)

    "the discussion of the problem can be boiled down to a couple of critical points"

    similar: abstracting, briefing, digesting, encapsulating, epitomizing, outlining, recapitulating, recapping, reprising, summarizing, summing up, synopsizing, wrapping up
    related: abridging, condensing, curtailing, cutting back, shortening, downsizing, shrinking, concentrating, consolidating, decocting, essentializing, simplifying, streamlining
    near: elongating, extending, lengthening, prolonging, protracting, amplifying, elaborating (on or upon), enlarging (on or upon), expanding, supplementing

Related Entry: Boil down (verb)

Boil down is a different word from Boiling. The synonyms below are for boil down, not for boiling.

  1. to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report)

    "the discussion of the problem can be boiled down to a couple of critical points"

    similar: abstract, brief, digest, encapsulate, epitomize, outline, recap, recapitulate, reprise, sum up, summarize, synopsize, wrap up
    related: abridge, condense, curtail, cut back, shorten, downsize, shrink, concentrate, consolidate, decoct, essentialize, simplify, streamline
    near: elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract, amplify, elaborate (on or upon), enlarge (on or upon), expand, supplement

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Boiling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Boiling:

ardent, broiling, burning, fervent, fervid, fiery, hot, piping hot, red, red-hot, roasting, scalding, scorching, searing, sultry, superheated, sweltering, torrid, ultrahot, white-hot, foaming, fuming, raging, rankling, seething, sizzling, steaming, storming, coddling, parboiling, poaching, simmering, stewing, churning, moiling, roiling, seeing red

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Boiling

Words with the opposite meaning of Boiling:

algid, arctic, bitter, bone-chilling, cold, freezing, frigid, frozen, glacial, ice-cold, iced, icy

Related Words for Boiling

blazing, glowing, igneous, molten, heated, overheated, reheated, warmed, snug, toasty, warm, warmish, feverish, flushed, inflamed, canicular, muggy, steamy, summerlike, summery, tropical, fulminating, ranting, raving, smoldering, bristling, flaring (up), inflaming, chafing, fretting

Near Antonyms of Boiling

chill, chilly, coldish, cool, coolish, nippy, snappy, blizzardly, frosty, snowy, subfreezing, subzero, wintry, chilled, cooled, refrigerated, unheated, benumbed, numb, shivering, abating, calming, subsiding

Origin & Etymology of Boiling

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Boiling

boiling point

Frequently Asked Questions about Boiling

What does "Boiling" mean?

"Boiling" means heated to the boiling point. As an an adjective, an adverb and a verb, it is defined as: heated to the boiling point. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Boiling"?

Other words for "Boiling" include ardent, broiling, burning, fervent, fervid, fiery, hot and piping hot. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Boiling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Boiling"?

There are 80 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Boiling". Common alternatives include ardent, broiling, burning, fervent, fervid, fiery, hot, piping hot, red and red-hot.

What is the opposite of "Boiling"?

Antonyms of "Boiling" include algid, arctic, bitter, bone-chilling, cold, freezing, frigid and frozen. Near antonyms include chill, chilly, coldish and cool.

How do you use "Boiling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Boiling" in a sentence: "it was boiling in that car, and the owners had foolishly left their pet in it"; "the passengers were boiling when they found out the flight was delayed yet again"; "boil the potatoes until they are tender before you try to mash them".

Is "Boiling" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Boiling" can be used as an adjective, an adverb and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Boiling"?

"Boiling" is pronounced /ˈbȯi(-ə)-liŋ/ and divided into syllables as boil·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Boiling"?

First known use: 14th century.