😡 To lose control 🍲 To overflow

to boil over

7 4.8

To suddenly lose control and show strong anger

phrasal verb
/ˈbɔɪl ˈoʊvər/

Informal

: perder el control

My frustration boiled over.
frustration boiled over
anger boiled over
rage boiled over

So no one hears now what contributed to things boiling over in that way.

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Examples

Carrie felt her anger boiling over.

Fiction book (2002)
"Rachel's anger boiled over.

Fiction book (1998)
Anyone who has really been in love knows how quickly it can boil over into hatred.
His outrage was rapidly boiling over.

Fiction book (2000)
On Oct. 28, at Robert Morris, Payne's emotions boiled over.

Blog text (20)
Plazola's anger boiled over, and he became belligerent.

Blog text (26)
And for the third time today, Sam Tuttle has boiled over, arguing now with first base umpire Richie Garcia.

For Love of the Game (1999)
During the heated debate, his emotions boiled over and he shouted at his opponent.
After weeks of unresolved issues, her anger finally boiled over in the meeting.
The stress from work caused her frustration to boil over during dinner.

Synonyms

to lose it

vsto boil over

Informal

289 7.5

Suddenly stop controlling your feelings and become very angry or upset

is the same sudden emotional loss but expressed by a different idiom

to overreact

vsto boil over

229 3.8

Show more feeling or anger than a situation needs

is sudden loss of self control focused specifically on anger rather than excessness

to explode

vsto boil over

187 3.5

To suddenly show a strong feeling, often anger

is the same explosive emotional display but as a different idiom

to snap

vsto boil over

151 4.0

Say something quickly and angrily after losing control

is a sudden loss of self control that can include wider actions

to flip

vsto boil over

Informal

143 7.5

To suddenly become very angry, excited, or surprised

is the sudden anger loss idea but focused mainly on anger

to boil

vsto boil over

Informal

114 5.5

To become very angry or excited

is the sudden loss of self control that stresses a quick outward expression

to rage

vsto boil over

84 4.8

To feel very angry and unable to control it

is the same uncontrolled anger idea but used as a common idiom

to overtake

vsto boil over

29 5.1

To suddenly have a strong feeling that you cannot control

is the same sudden emotional overwhelm but focuses more on visible outburst

to go ballistic

vsto boil over

Informal

22 7.5

Suddenly become very angry

is the same abrupt anger concept but expressed with a different phrase

to blow up

vsto boil over

Informal

16 4.7

To suddenly become very angry and lose control

is the same sudden outburst idea phrased with a different verb

to have a fit

vsto boil over

Informal

16 5.3

To suddenly become very angry or upset and show it strongly

is the same intense outburst idea but with a different phrase

to go off the deep end

vsto boil over

Informal

15 8.1

Suddenly act in a very emotional and out of control way

is the sudden anger loss idea but less about long irrational behaviour

to throw a fit

vsto boil over

Informal

12 6.1

To suddenly become very angry or upset in a loud, obvious way

is the same sudden visible anger event but named differently

to fly off the handle

vsto boil over

Informal

11 6.8

To suddenly become very angry

is the same sudden loss of self control using a different image

to fly off

vsto boil over

Informal

7 5.3

To suddenly get very angry without warning

is the same sudden loss of self control framed by a different verb

to froth at the mouth

vsto boil over

Informal

5 8.6

To be extremely angry and unable to control oneself

is the sudden loss of self control focused on outward anger display

to hit the roof

vsto boil over

Informal

4 6.7

To suddenly become very angry

is the same sudden extreme anger idea but with another wording

to combust

vsto boil over

4 8.2

To become suddenly very angry and lose control

is the same abrupt emotional eruption but conveyed with another term

to spill over

vsto boil over

3 5.3

To feel an emotion so strongly that you show it openly

is the sudden loss of self control but emphasises a brief sudden burst

to lose one's temper

vsto boil over

2 3.7

To suddenly become very angry and not be able to control yourself

is the same sudden loss of self control focused on anger

to bubble over

vsto boil over

2 4.7

To be so full of strong feeling or excitement that you show it clearly

is the sudden loss of self control that stresses a quick outburst

to come unhinged

vsto boil over

Informal

2 8.2

To lose control of your feelings and act very upset

is the sudden angry outburst idea but not implying lasting instability

to blow one's stack

vsto boil over

Informal

2 8.6

Suddenly get very angry and show it

is the same sudden emotional loss but named with another idiom

to blow a fuse

vsto boil over

Informal

1 7.4

To suddenly become very angry

is the same sudden anger event but described with a different phrase

to pop off

vsto boil over

Informal

1 8.1

To suddenly say something angry without warning

is the sudden loss of self control that can be more than speech

to flip your lid

vsto boil over

Informal

1 8.6

To suddenly become very angry and lose control

is the same sudden emotional loss but with an informal expression

to go off on one

vsto boil over

1 9.9

To suddenly get very angry and speak loudly for a long time

is the sudden loss of self control but often briefer and focused

to lose one's cool

vsto boil over

Informal

5.9

To suddenly become very angry and fail to control your feelings

is the same sudden anger idea but using another idiomatic form

to blow one's top

vsto boil over

Informal

8.0

To suddenly become very angry

is the same sudden temper loss described with a different expression

to flip one's lid

vsto boil over

Informal

9.1

To become suddenly very angry and lose control

is the same sudden anger loss described with another informal form

to throw a wobbly

vsto boil over

9.9

To become suddenly very angry and upset in a dramatic way

is the same sudden emotional loss but expressed with another colloquialism

to burst a blood vessel

vsto boil over

Informal

6.9

To become very angry or upset in a way people notice

is the sudden loss of self control but usually less medical imagery

to radge over

vsto boil over

9.9

Get very angry or upset about small things

is the sudden loss of self control but without implying small cause focus

Antonyms

control

∞ 2.8

Ability to direct your body or its parts so they move as you want

How Angry

to explode

187 3.5

to boil over

Informal

7 4.8

annoyed

77 1.0

irritated

44 3.1

Surface Forms

boil over infinitive

boiled over past

boiled over past participle

boiling over present participle

boils over third person singular

Morphology

boil + over

The sense 'to suddenly lose self-control and overflow with emotion' follows a clear metaphor from physical boiling and overflowing: 'boil' (seethe) + 'over' (overflow) yields the image of emotions spilling out. This is a metaphorical but fairly literal extension that many languages use, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents could often infer the meaning, though it still requires metaphorical mapping rather than pure compositionality.

Etymology

The idiom boil over uses the same picture for feelings: imagine anger heating like a pot until it bubbles and runs over, so someone 'loses control' and shows strong emotion.