Phrasal verb
boil down to
Definition
phrasal verb. to be the most important part or the main reason for something.
phrasal verb. to reduce a complex situation or argument to its most fundamental or essential elements.
Examples
“Most problems boil down to a lack of communication.”
“The entire debate over the new budget boils down to whether we can afford the tax cuts.”
“While the legal arguments were incredibly dense, the judge's final ruling boiled down to a simple question of property rights.”
Examples
simple
“Most problems boil down to a lack of communication.”
contextual
“The entire debate over the new budget boils down to whether we can afford the tax cuts.”
complex
“While the legal arguments were incredibly dense, the judge's final ruling boiled down to a simple question of property rights.”
Usage
usually used in the third person and followed by a noun or a 'whether' clause.
Teaching tip
use the metaphor of cooking (boiling a liquid until only the thick, strong essence remains) to help students visualize the meaning of 'simplifying to the core'.
Pitfall
The issue boils down for money.
The issue boils down to money.
the preposition 'to' is required after 'boil down' to indicate the result or essence.
Phrasal verb
Particles
down to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
boil + down + to + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/boil-down-to