bloom

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈblüm 

1

: a mass of wrought iron from the forge or puddling furnace

2

: a bar of iron or steel hammered or rolled from an ingot

bloom

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural blooms

1

a

: blossom sense 1a, flower

b

: the flowering state

the roses are in bloom

c

: a period of flowering

the spring bloom

d(1)

: a rapid and excessive growth of a plankton population (as of algae or dinoflagellates) compare red tide

(2)

: a large aggregation of free-swimming organisms : swarm

a jellyfish bloom

2

a

: a state or time of beauty, freshness, and vigor

b

: a state or time of high development or achievement

a career in full bloom

3

: a surface coating or appearance: such as

a

: a delicate powdery coating on some fruits and leaves

b

: a rosy appearance of the cheeks

broadly : an outward evidence of freshness or healthy vigor

c

: a cloudiness on a film of varnish or lacquer

d

: a grayish discoloration on chocolate

e

: glare caused by an object reflecting too much light into a television camera

bloom

3 of 3

verb

bloomed; blooming; blooms

intransitive verb

1

a

: to produce or yield flowers

b

: to support abundant plant life

make the desert bloom

2

a(1)

: to mature into achievement of one's potential

(2)

: to flourish in youthful beauty, freshness, or excellence

b

: to shine out : glow

c

: to become more apparent or fully expressed (as in flavor or aroma)

In all classic sauces and dressings, good oil is the base from which delectable flavors bloom.

—Renée Loux Underkoffler

3

: to appear or occur unexpectedly or in remarkable quantity or degree

4

: to become densely populated with microorganisms and especially plankton

—used of bodies of water

transitive verb

1

obsolete : to cause to bloom

2

: to give bloom to

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• blossom
• florescence
• floruit
• flower
• flush
• heyday
• high noon
• prime
• salad days
• springtime

Verb

• blossom
• blow
• burgeon
• bourgeon
• effloresce
• flower
• unfold

Examples of bloom in a Sentence

Noun (2)

a handsome young man in the full bloom of youth

after a snowball fight, she came inside with a bloom on her cheeks

the rosebush produces blooms only in midsummer

Verb

flowers blooming in the garden

Their love was just beginning to bloom.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Massive seaweed blooms now plague Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Caribbean. —Marc Benioff, Time, 24 June 2025

Tiny yellow stamens inside the blooms create a lovely contrast. —Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025

Verb

In the wacky political world of Southeast Los Angeles County — where scandals seem to bloom every year with the regularity of jacarandas — there’s never been a mess as pendejo as the one stirred up this week by Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025

We’re fed Apollo Bar highlights like a salad rosso, a globe of radicchio segmented with chunks of blood orange, a blooming artichoke, and seasonal strawberry ice-cream cake. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English blome lump of metal, from Old English blōma

Noun (2)

Middle English blome, from Old Norse blōm; akin to Old English blōwan to blossom — more at blow

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing bloom

• come in/into bloom
• in bloom
• in full bloom
• water bloom

Rhymes for bloom

• blume
• boom
• broom
• doom
• flume
• fume
• gloom
• glume
• groom
• loom
• plume
• rheum

Kids Definition

bloom

1 of 2 noun

ˈblüm 

1

a

: blossom entry 1 sense 1

b

: the period or state of flowering

the roses are in bloom

c

: an excessive growth of plankton

2

a

: blossom entry 1 sense 3

b

: a state or time of beauty, freshness, and strength

3

a

: a delicate powdery coating especially on some fruits and leaves

b

: a rosy appearance of the cheeks

bloom

2 of 2 verb

1

: to produce flowers : blossom

2

a

: blossom entry 2 sense 2

b

: to be in a state of youthful beauty or freshness : flourish

3

: to glow with rosy color

bloomer noun

Biographical Definition

Bloom

biographical name

ˈblüm 

Harold 1930–2019 American literary critic