flower 1 of 2

noun

ˈflau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce flower (audio)
Definition of flowernext
1
as in bloom
the usually showy plant part that produces seeds flowers are always a thoughtful gift

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in blooming
a state or time of great activity, thriving, or achievement the skiing season is usually in full flower by Christmas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in best
individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class without exception, the flower of this year's graduating class will be going to prestigious colleges

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flower

2 of 2

verb

as in to bloom
to produce flowers the plant will keep flowering if you water it and regularly cut off the dead blossoms

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of flower
Noun
Lafita’s cart was filled with red roses and white ginger lilies, Cuba’s national flower. — ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026 The study suggests the pattern may have evolved independently as camouflage, helping the bugs blend in with the plants' red and orange flowers. — Bryan West, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
To prevent overcrowding, Abdi recommends dividing this flowering perennial every three years or so, which will help keep its size in check. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 21 Aug. 2026 But on Wednesday, Chris Bonelli, Waymo’s product communications manager, summoned one of the all-electric, custom robotaxis to the flowering neighborhood park not far from Cherry Creek to demonstrate the technology to the press. — Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flower
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flower
  1. bloom
  2. blooming
  3. best
  4. blossom
  5. aristocracy
  6. cream
  7. pink
  8. top
Noun
  • Temperatures are at record highs, currents are shifting and stronger storms wash more pollutants into the water, including sewage and fertilizers, which can trigger huge algae blooms.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Like much of Florida and the entire Caribbean, Cancún experienced significant blooms throughout 2026.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of bloom
Noun
  • Stop deadheading as shorter days and cooler temperatures slow plant growth and blooming.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Cutting back is done in mid-summer when foliage looks ragged and blooming slows to increase plant vigor, control height, and encourage a second flush of blooms.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of blooming
Noun
  • Benton had career bests in tackles (51), tackles for loss (6) and sacks (5 1/2) while helping the Steelers to the AFC North title.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • With the three-row Kia Sorento, the Hyundai Palisade retains the South Korean brands’ 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, both segment and industry bests.
    — James Raia, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of best
Verb
  • After making seven starts as a raw rookie in 2018, Lamar Jackson blossomed into an MVP while leading the Ravens to an NFL-best 14-2 record in his second season.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Now the extraordinary, blossoming Matisse faces in the direction of the original site for which it was designed, like a living memory.
    — George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of blossom
Noun
  • After this, there will be a lot of going back and forth across the Channel; crimes of the aristocracy; Darnay’s own Big Secret revealed; more trials, more imprisonments.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Just a few days earlier at Palazzo Brancaccio, the ladies of the Roman aristocracy had vied to appear in the ballroom scenes, perhaps hoping to meet Gregory Peck.
    — Daria Egidi, Vanity Fair, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of aristocracy
Noun
  • There are countless face creams, serums, and tools on the market that promise firm, glass-like skin, but few actually deliver, and even fewer are at a reasonable price point.
    — Melony Forcier, InStyle, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Sitting front row alongside Starr, Reid, Fanning and Troye Sivan, Flowerovlove wore an oversize blue-and-white jacket over a cream camisole and denim, with a bold red lip.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of cream
Noun
  • Her humdrum life gives way to beach bonfires at sunset (lensed by Tudor Vladimir Panduru and Fabian Gamper in stunning dusky blues and pinks) and skinny-dipping in the river.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The lamp is available in 26 different color options for the base and top and spans from vivid neon yellow to mellow pink.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of pink
Noun
  • But Siniaková, unlike many women at the top of the doubles leaderboard, is not strictly a doubles specialist.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • When the sequence was complete, the roof had disappeared into the rear of the car, turning this enormous Cadillac into an open-top grand tourer.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of top

Browse Nearby Words

flowed
flower
flowered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flower. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on flower

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flower

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of empirical

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All