boil down to — be the main point
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
To mean the most important or basic reason for something; to be the main point.
Say it like a native
Textbook The fundamental crux of the matter ultimately reduces to one factor.
Native It all boils down to money.
'Fundamental crux... reduces to' is wordy; 'boils down to' is the natural idiom.
Pattern: boil down to + noun/gerund
In use
- In the end, the problem boils down to a lack of communication.daily life
- When choosing a university, it often boils down to location and cost.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ It boils down on cost.
✓ It boils down to cost.
'Boil down TO something', not 'on'.
Common collocations
boil down to + essence— to, it all, really, essentially
Don't confuse it
Not about cooking; it’s about summarizing the main idea.