burgeon

verb

bur·​geon ˈbər-jən 

variants or less commonly bourgeon

burgeoned also bourgeoned; burgeoning also bourgeoning; burgeons also bourgeons

intransitive verb

1

a

: to send forth new growth (such as buds or branches) : sprout

b

: bloom

… when the flame trees and jacaranda are burgeoning …

—Alan Carmichael

2

: to grow and expand rapidly : flourish

The market has burgeoned in recent years.

… tiny events which burgeon into national alarums …

—Herman Wouk

Did you know?

Burgeon arrived in Middle English as burjonen, a borrowing from the Anglo-French verb burjuner, meaning "to bud or sprout." Burgeon is often used figuratively, as when writer Ta-Nehisi Coates used it in his 2008 memoir The Beautiful Struggle: "… I was in the burgeoning class of kids whose families made too much for financial aid but not enough to make tuition payments anything less than a war." Usage commentators have objected to the use of burgeon to mean "to flourish" or "to grow rapidly," insisting that any figurative use should stay true to the word's earliest literal meaning and distinguish budding or sprouting from subsequent growing. But the sense of burgeon that indicates growing or expanding and prospering (as in "the burgeoning music scene" or "the burgeoning international market") has been in established use for decades and is, in fact, the most common use of burgeon today.

Synonyms of burgeon

• increase
• rise
• swell
• accelerate
• expand
• multiply

Examples of burgeon in a Sentence

The market for collectibles has burgeoned in recent years.

the trout population in the stream is burgeoning now that the water is clean

Recent Examples on the Web

In Argentina, despite a burgeoning hydrocarbon sector, higher energy costs have renewed inflation concerns and created a headache for Milei, whose disapproval rating spiked to 63 percent in late April, up from 49 percent at the start of the year. — Dan Restrepo, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

Together, the trio will focus on shepherding new projects and nurturing burgeoning talent, as Divide/Conquer has most recently done with Curry Barker, the Obsession breakout now on to his sophomore feature, Anything but Ghosts. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

What in the zeitgeist lends itself to this burgeoning fascination with ghosts and the afterlife? — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

Turkey’s burgeoning defense industry, soft cultural power and role as conflict mediator are growing its influence in the Middle East. — Hadeel Al-Shalchi, NPR, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English burjonen, from Anglo-French burjuner, from burjun bud, from Vulgar Latin *burrion-, burrio, from Late Latin burra fluff, shaggy cloth

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for burgeon

• sturgeon
• surgeon
• neurosurgeon

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Kids Definition

burgeon

verb

bur·​geon ˈbər-jən 

1

a

: to put forth new growth (as buds)

b

: bloom entry 2 sense 1

2

: expand sense 3, flourish