simmered; simmering
ˈsi-mə-riŋ 
ˈsim-riŋ
1
: to stew gently below or just at the boiling point
: to cook slowly in a liquid just below the boiling point
Examples of simmer in a Sentence
Verb
Simmer the stew for 40 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
The chicken was simmered in a cream sauce.
The dispute simmered for years before any progress was made.
It's a debate that has simmered for 30 years and is likely to continue.
Long-simmering tensions between the two groups eventually sparked violence.
Noun
Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 May 2025
The match simmered nicely in a very competitive first set before Alcaraz’s clay court cojones started to click.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
Forty-eight hours removed from a one-day cameo appearance by rain over the Bay Area, the next question forecasters were probing was: When will the high pressure build high enough and thick enough to create a summer-like simmer?
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for simmer
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.
Verb
But the tax cut bill also reignited months of simmering market anxiety about the stability of the US financial system and drove a sharp Treasury selloff as investors weighed the risks posed by estimates the bill would pile additional trillions onto the US debt.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 May 2025
The match simmered nicely in a very competitive first set before Alcaraz’s clay court cojones started to click.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Noun
Reduce heat to a slow simmer and cover for at least 1 hour.
3.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
Forty-eight hours removed from a one-day cameo appearance by rain over the Bay Area, the next question forecasters were probing was: When will the high pressure build high enough and thick enough to create a summer-like simmer?
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for simmer
Cite this Entry
“Simmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simmer. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share