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

Asunción alone boasts a burgeoning food scene, one-of-a-kind cultural institutions, and new boutique hotel properties—in addition to offering close proximity to unique wildlife in nearby national parks like Ybycuí National Park and Cerro Corá National Park. —Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026

Fredrika’s friendships with the boys in her midst transform her, leaving her navigating the currents of burgeoning adulthood. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026

The order injects momentum into this burgeoning field and opens the door for eager patients to try these therapies. —Leana S. Wen, Washington Post, 28 Apr. 2026

Scientists plan to conduct summer research on the island with an eye toward how the burgeoning wolf packs can maintain balance with the rest of the ecosystem. —CBS News, 27 Apr. 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