boiling
BOY-lihng
Boiling (adj) means Extremely hot. Example: “It was boiling outside, well over 35 degrees.”
adj
1
Extremely hot.
"It was boiling outside, well over 35 degrees."
"Careful, that pan is boiling hot."
"The car felt boiling after standing in the sun all afternoon."
noun
1
The process of heating a liquid to its boiling point.
"Boiling kills most harmful bacteria in water."
"Boiling the pasta for too long turned it soft and sticky."
"After the boiling, let the soup cool before you pour it into jars."
How to use boiling
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVery hot — or the act of heating a liquid until it bubbles.
Common pairings
boiling hot
boiling water
bring to boiling point
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like boiling.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- boilings
- Comparative
- more boiling
- Superlative
- most boiling
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It was _____ outside, well over 35 degrees.
Etymology
From boil plus the suffix -ing.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for boiling
See all rhymes for boiling →Frequently asked questions
What does “boiling” mean?
The word “boiling” means extremely hot. In plain terms, very hot — or the act of heating a liquid until it bubbles.
How do you pronounce “boiling”?
“Boiling” is pronounced BOY-lihng (/ˈbɔɪlɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “boiling” in a sentence?
Here is “boiling” used in a sentence: “It was boiling outside, well over 35 degrees.”
What part of speech is “boiling”?
Depending on how it is used, “boiling” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “boiling” a common word?
“Boiling” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “boiling” have?
“Boiling” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: extremely hot.
What is the difference between boiling and boiling point?
Boiling is the process of heating a liquid until it bubbles and turns to vapor, while the boiling point is the specific temperature at which that process occurs for a given liquid. Boiling point is a fixed reference value, whereas boiling describes the ongoing action.
What does it mean to describe weather as boiling?
Describing weather as boiling is an informal, exaggerated way of saying it is extremely hot, extending the literal sense of a liquid reaching boiling temperature to describe uncomfortable heat. It is used the same way as saying someone is "boiling mad" to mean extremely angry.
Is boiling always used to describe temperature, or can it describe other things?
While boiling most literally describes extreme heat or the process of heating a liquid to its boiling point, it is also used figuratively for intense emotion, such as boiling with rage or boiling with excitement.
