Herman Wouk
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Burgeon first appeared in Middle English as burjonen—a borrowing from the Anglo-French burjuner, meaning "to bud or sprout." Burgeon is often used figuratively, as when writer P. G. Wodehouse used it in the 1946 novel Joy in the Morning: "I weighed this. It sounded promising. Hope began to burgeon." 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.
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Examples of burgeon in a Sentence
Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
From the outside, the burgeoning farm had the makeup of one that could stand the test of time.
—Eliza Milio, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
Its modern evolution began in 1960s New York City, born out of the Bronx’s burgeoning hip-hop culture — not as sport but as art, a blend of dancing, gymnastics, and martial arts.
—Brandon Sneed, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2024
To get up-close and personal with the vineyards and winemakers, however, take a day trip to Sonoita, a burgeoning wine country just 50 miles south of town.
—Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2024
In an effort to match the bright and clean vibe and serve his burgeoning clientele, Hobday (who would change his name to Henry Africa) invented the Lemon Drop, named for the sour candies which the flavor evoked—vodka, orange liqueur, and lemon, served in a pretty glass with some sugar on the rim.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 13 Apr. 2024
Her recent features in Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines, along with the expansion to a new state-of-the-art facility, reflect the burgeoning recognition of her work and the efficacy of her approach to wellness and aesthetic beauty.
—William Mullane, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Both are eyeing regional threats from North Korea’s weapons testing and burgeoning relations with Russia to China’s aggression in the South China Sea and toward Taiwan.
—Junko Ogura, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Biden and his surrogates headlined multiple fundraisers, racking up more cash to add to the campaign’s burgeoning coffer of $155 million, according to the latest finance reports.
—Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'burgeon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Burgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burgeon. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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burgeon
verb
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