bubblegum

adjective bub·ble·gum \ ˈbə-bəl-ˌgəm \

|Updated on: 26 Jul 2018

Definition of bubblegum

: appealing to or characteristic of preteens or adolescents

bubblegum fashions

Recent Examples of bubblegum from the Web

Glittery, shimmery body gels and highlighting potions are making their comeback, but not in a 1990’s bubblegum pop kind of way.

— jesa marie calaor, Allure, "The 11 Best Body Highlighters and Bronzers to Make Your Skin Shine Bright Like a Diamond," 23 May 2018
Headed up by rapper/singer/songwriter/designer G-Dragon, their back catalog includes ballads, bubblegum pop, and anthemic EDM bangers, all of which are worth looking into.

— taylor glasby, Teen Vogue, "The K-Pop Beginner's Guide: BTS, Girls' Generation, and More," 23 May 2018
The swell of the foot-stomping chorus combined with the bubblegum pop of 1D makes for one of the most effective and singular songs in the band’s catalog.

— billboard staff, Billboard, "The 100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks," 23 Apr. 2018
And, of course, there's a bright, bubblegum-pink mask made in honor of Pinkie Pie.

— marci robin, Allure, "GlamGlow to Launch My Little Pony Face Masks in April," 16 Mar. 2018
And even far below the mainstream, in punk, D.I.Y. and experimental circles, many of the best rock songs embraced electronic heartbeats, bubblegum pop, laptop-friendly sampling, or on the flipside, chillingly sparse production.

— billboard staff, Billboard, "The 25 Best Rock Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks," 20 Dec. 2017
Music Though the audience was engaged by the technical feats of the concert, Perry's catchy bubblegum pop was the main draw.

— anne nickoloff, cleveland.com, "Katy Perry puts on whirlwind of a concert at The Q (photos, highlights)," 10 Dec. 2017
The charts heaved with bubblegum pop, slick R&B, and the first stirrings of disco.

— kyle smith, National Review, "Tom Petty: Southern Boy, American Man," 3 Oct. 2017
Very few bands can claim to be equally revered by lovers of psych, mod, ska, punk, funk, R&B, disco, glam, and bubblegum pop, and had a racially integrated lineup in the turbulent 60s—and had hits.

— steve krakow, Chicago Reader, "Unequaled excitement hits the windy city as Derv Gordon of cult UK band the Equals plays a rare gig," 22 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bubblegum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of bubblegum

1969

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

bubble gum

noun

Definition of bubble gum

1 : a chewing gum that can be blown into large bubbles

2 usually bubblegum play \ˈbə-bəl-ˌgəm\ : rock music having simple repetitive phrasings and intended especially for young teenagers

See bubble gum defined for English-language learners

See bubble gum defined for kids

Recent Examples of bubble gum from the Web

My craving was driven by the waxy feel of Topps’s red-and-yellow packaging, the lingering perfume of bubble gum on card surfaces and the foolish belief that a Mickey Mantle card was just a nickel away.

— marc myers, WSJ, "Baseball Cards Are Swinging for the Digital Age," 27 Apr. 2018
Makeup artist Patrick Ta shared a behind-the-scenes capture of the super's latest look, which took its cues from her vivid, bubble gum-colored evening dress.

— calin van paris, Vogue, "Gigi Hadid Rules the Beach in the Riskiest Neon Makeup Shade Yet," 2 July 2018
Turning into a magical superhuman who has bubble gum instead of bones? 7.

— elisa, Seventeen, "8 Unbelievable Photos Every "Dancing With the Stars" Fan Needs to See of Nastia Liukin," 6 Apr. 2015
Proponents of the ban pointed to some 7,000 products, including those with flavors said to be particularly alluring to young users like bubble gum, chicken and waffles, and unicorn milk.

— jan hoffman, New York Times, "San Francisco Voters Uphold Ban on Flavored Vaping Products," 6 June 2018
There’s also a bubble gum blowing contest, a strawberry ice cream licking contest, a cupcake decorating contest (new) and a 5K Berry Big Walk/Run.

— nancy stohs, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "6 food festivals that offer a glimpse of Wisconsin specialties and local culture," 6 June 2018
As a teenager, Kaizer asked her grandmother for a bridal magazine subscription for Hanukkah, and reading the magazines by flashlight in her bubble gum pink bedroom was a highlight of her adolescence.

— carmen rosy hall, Vogue, "L.A.’s Favorite Vintage Bridal Boutique Launches Online With Hand-Picked Home Goods," 18 May 2018
Check out their Prairie Vixen Hefeweizen beer, with hints of banana, clove and bubble gum.

— shelbie lynn bostedt, RedEye Chicago, "Hikes and hops: The best hiking trail and brewery pairs in Illinois," 17 Aug. 2017
But one influencer and mom has come up with a much sweeter term to describe her stomach: bubble gum.

— blake bakkila, Health.com, "What This Mom Had to Say When Her Daughter Compared Her Post-Baby Belly to Bubble Gum," 8 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bubble gum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.