Word
boiling
Phoneticsboil·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbɔɪɫɪŋ/
UK/bˈɔɪlɪŋ/
Definitions
01extremely hot weather
A2 · Elementary Informal
adj. used to describe weather or a room that is uncomfortably hot.
adj. denoting weather or ambient conditions of extreme heat. Informal in register when used as a synonym for 'very hot'.
“Can we open a window? It is boiling in this office.”
“The commuters huddled under the few patches of shade available on the platform, complaining that the afternoon was absolutely boiling.”
Usage
Often used with 'absolutely' rather than 'very' because it is an ungradable adjective.
Pitfall
It is very boiling today.
It is absolutely boiling today.
Boiling is an 'extreme' adjective. Use 'absolutely' or 'completely' instead of 'very' to add emphasis.
02at boiling point
B1 · Intermediate Science
adj. liquid that has reached the temperature where it turns into steam.
adj. referring to a liquid that has reached its boiling point and is actively bubbling and vaporising.
“Be careful with that boiling water when you make the tea.”
“The recipe requires you to pour the boiling liquid over the dried fruit and let it steep for at least twenty minutes.”
03the process of heating
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Science
n. the process of heating a liquid until it bubbles and turns to gas.
n. the physical process of rapid vaporisation of a liquid, typically occurring when it is heated to its boiling point.
“The boiling of the water took longer than usual because of the high altitude.”
“The rapid boiling of the solvent ensured that the impurities were carried away in the steam, leaving the purified compound behind.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04extremely
B1 · Intermediate Informal
adv. used before 'hot' to mean extremely hot.
adv. an intensifier used exclusively with the adjective 'hot'.
“The soup was boiling hot, so I had to wait a few minutes to eat it.”
“After hiking all day in the sun, the trekkers were grateful for a dip in the lake, even though the air remained boiling hot.”
Usage
Almost exclusively found in the collocation 'boiling hot'.
Etymology
From boil + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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