blooming

adjective or adverb

bloom·​ing ˈblü-mən How to pronounce blooming (audio)
-miŋ
Synonyms of bloomingnext
1
: having blooms unfolding : flowering
a blooming rose
a blooming cherry tree
2
: thriving in health, beauty, and vigor : exhibiting the freshness and beauties of youth or health
… ever since she was a blooming lass of twenty.George Eliot
… a smart, pretty girl of nineteen, with … a round face, bright, blooming cheeks, glossy, clustering curls, and little merry brown eyes.Anne Brontë
3
chiefly British, informal
used as a generalized intensive
a blooming fool
He's a blooming busybody: that's what he is.George Bernard Shaw

Examples of blooming in a Sentence

the blooming faces of children at play in the great outdoors thought that the royals were blooming idiots for making such indiscreet statements
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Temple of Bloom® is a more compact and earlier blooming selection of the seven-son flower tree with an elegant habit. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026 Unique Characteristics The Most Beautiful rose earns its moniker thanks to its flowers' soft-pink hue, strong fragrance, and long blooming season. Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026 During non-blooming periods, the bulb focuses on producing tall leaves that capture energy and store it for the next flowering phase. Cori Sears, The Spruce, 14 Jan. 2026 This layered, complex film reveals more and more of itself upon every viewing, petals of emotion, symbolism and meaning continually blooming, always grounded by Moura’s gravitational pull. Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 4 Dec. 2025 Choose a variety for staggered blooming and vibrant spring color. Alice Cason, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025 The bulbs are also planted in layers, which allows for a longer blooming period. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2025 The fine fragrance blends top notes of soft citrus, sweet violet and blooming camellia, with a heart of fresh muguet, velvet woods and a touch of vanilla, and a base of white sandalwood, musk and spicy amber. Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 On Sunday, fans who have been similarly patient with the Orioles’ 21-year-old blooming star were rewarded, as Henderson capped one of his best performances in the major leagues with a 462-foot missile onto Eutaw Street. Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 11 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

probably euphemism for bloody

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blooming was in 1592

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Cite this Entry

“Blooming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blooming. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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