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

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
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.
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 See All Example Sentences for bloom

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bloom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloom. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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

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