a watched pot never boils over

A form of a watched pot never boils — A process appears to proceed more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. alternativeAlternative form of a watched pot never boils.
Cite this entry
APA

a watched pot never boils over. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20watched%20pot%20never%20boils%20over

MLA

“a watched pot never boils over.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20watched%20pot%20never%20boils%20over. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “a watched pot never boils over,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20watched%20pot%20never%20boils%20over.

Source: a watched pot never boils over on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.