boil down

verb

boiled down; boiling down; boils down

transitive verb

1
: to reduce in bulk by boiling
2
: condense, summarize
boil down a report

intransitive verb

1
: to undergo reduction in bulk by boiling
2
a
: to be equivalent in summary : amount
his speech boiled down to a plea for more money
b
: to reduce ultimately
your choices boil down to three

Examples of boil down in a Sentence

the discussion of the problem can be boiled down to a couple of critical points
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her counterargument, essentially, is that his atheism, too, boils down to a kind of feeling. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024 Following a tense day that featured bomb threats at polling places and voting misinformation, the race predictably boiled down to ballots in crucial swing states. Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024 In the end, its long-term choice boiled down to picking between a pair of guys who had been on the same team since 2017 when Browning arrived at Ohio State. Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 4 Nov. 2024 But some advocates say, because gay couples are easily identifiable, the law will boil down to a blanket targeting of them. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for boil down 

Word History

First Known Use

1723, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boil down was in 1723

Dictionary Entries Near boil down

Cite this Entry

“Boil down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil%20down. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

boil down

verb
: to reduce or become reduced by or as if by boiling
let the sauce boil down
boil down a report
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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