bloom

1 of 3

noun (1)

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
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

Examples of bloom in a Sentence

Verb flowers blooming in the garden Their love was just beginning to bloom.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In addition, rapid progress was reported Friday toward full bloom of the cherry trees at the Tidal Basin, where they have long been recognized as flowering symbols of spring in Washington. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Weather forecasts track the cherry trees’ bloom to ensure that everyone has a chance to participate in the ancient ritual of viewing sakura. Małgorzata (gosia) K. Citko-Duplantis, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2024 Peak bloom typically occurs in late March or early April, and this year’s dates fall squarely within that window. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 The final plant selection was 75% evergreen with the remaining 25% deciduous plants with their bloom times spread across the four seasons so that the garden is constantly changing and adapting to the climate. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024 Beautiful blooms, which can be found at spots like the International Rose Test Garden and the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, are just the icing on the cake. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2024 Since last season’s end season two will come with answers to some of the questions left on a cliffhanger – the state of some friendships is called into question, while others are in full bloom. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 21 Feb. 2024 Water lilies, plants in the genus Nymphaea, are aquatic blooms that grow in ponds and water gardens. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2024 From the community garden to Festival Blooms (which creates 2-D designs using living blooms), there's an abundance of different global gardens and plant displays to explore—like the orchid world showcase or even Garden Italiano, which is focused entirely on Tuscan produce and herbs. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
Full sun will help with the flowering, but pentas will bloom in partial shade as well. Marissa Wu, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2024 There’s just an outside chance that this cooler weather delays peak bloom long enough for the Park Service’s peak bloom forecast of March 23 to 26 to be correct. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Planting now is especially recommended for plants that will bloom more in full than in half-day sun and yet, if planted in full sun once the weather heats up, may struggle. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024 Tiny golden buttercups, scarlet gilia, purple sticky geraniums, and 3-foot green gentians, which live for decades but only bloom once, are all on display. Krista Simmons and J.d. Simkins, Sunset Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 The three pups were born in June 2023 at the height of toxic algae blooms off the coast that caused hundreds of sick and dead sea lions and dolphins to wash ashore, according to Warren. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 Wisteria typically bloom around late April and early May, with slight variations depending on the type of wisteria in bloom. Talia Avakian, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 As days warm up and winter gives way to sunshine and blooming flowers, bunches of vibrant green stalks pop up at farmers' stands and grocery stores. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2024 But what Torres nails is breathtaking, especially that midnight anxiety at the ATM, the scanning for sketchy cash jobs online and, most sneakily and warmly, a blooming connection. Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bloom.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of bloom was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bloom

Cite this Entry

“Bloom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloom. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bloom

1 of 2 noun
1
b
: the period or state of flowering
the roses are in bloom
c
: an excessive growth of plankton
2
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
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

Harold 1930–2019 American literary critic

More from Merriam-Webster on bloom

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