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Synonyms

simmer down

British  

verb

  1. informal (intr) to grow calmer or quieter, as after intense rage or excitement

  2. (tr) to reduce the volume of (a liquid) by boiling slowly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
simmer down Idioms  

  1. Become calm after anger or excitement, as in Simmer down, Mary; I'm sure he'll make it up to you, or I haven't time to look at your report now, but I will when things have simmered down a bit. This idiom derives from simmer in the sense of “cook at low heat, below the boiling point.” [Second half of 1800s]

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.

“Things could change quickly if Middle Eastern tensions simmer down, but the longer oil routes remain blocked, the more embedded hawkish forecasts will become,” Nathan noted.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

You can thin out jams or preserves—apricot, cherry, fig, even marmalade—or simmer down fresh or frozen fruit into a sticky glaze.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025

However, the toxicity in their relationship appeared to simmer down over the years.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2024

She’ll simmer down, but only for about five minutes.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2024

"Come on, Papi, simmer down now. Take it easy. Let's talk. We're a family, after all."

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.