Standard Lemma guide

overboil

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To boil excessively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Examples

  • If you overboil an egg, you'll end up with a hardboiled egg instead of the softboiled egg that you wanted; and if you underboil an egg, you'll end up with a softboiled egg instead of the hardboiled egg that you wanted.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: underboil

Broader terms: boil

2

verb

Meaning 2

boil excessively

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The peas are overboiled

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: boil

3

verb

Meaning 3

overflow or cause to overflow while boiling

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The milk is boiling over

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: boil over

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: boil

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Germanic *uber Old English ofer- Middle English over- English over- Proto-Indo-European *bew-der.? Proto-Indo-European *bhel-der.? Latin bulla Proto-Indo-European *-yétider. Latin -iō Latin bulliō Old French boillirbor. Middle English boillen English boil English overboil From over- + boil.