simmer
verb (used without object)
to cook or cook in a liquid at or just below the boiling point.
have simmered
-
present perfectof simmer.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. have long maintained peaceful relations with each other and are key security partners for the U.S., but tensions have simmered just below the surface and occasionally erupt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025
Nearly 650 schools across five Thai provinces have been ordered to shut for safety reasons, Thailand's education minister said, following the fresh tensions that have simmered since Sunday.
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2025
For now, it seems tensions between Jess and LoRosa have simmered down — at least publicly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025
Tensions have simmered for decades among Arab and ethnic African groups in Darfur, a region the size of California.
From New York Times ● Apr. 29, 2023
Thicken it with butter rolled in flour: when these have simmered a quarter of an hour, dish them up, and garnish with slices of lemon.
From The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, Adapted to the Use of Private Families by Mary Eaton
