boil
verb (used without object)
to change from a liquid to a gaseous state, producing bubbles of gas that rise to the surface of the liquid, agitating it as they rise.
was boiling
-
past progressiveof boil.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
"When I actually saw the video and saw how quickly the entire solution was boiling, that was really remarkable," Han recalls.
From BBC ● May 7, 2026
Ibsen’s frustration with petty-minded popular opinion was boiling over when he sat down to write “An Enemy of the People.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2024
I’m sure he was boiling with fury, but he just stayed completely silent like a statue.
From Slate ● Mar. 8, 2024
In the late summer of 1650, people reported that the colour of the water had changed and the water was boiling.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2023
Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.
From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling
