blossom
gb/blˈɑsəm/ us/blˈɑsəm/
B2
English
~ 6900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
Flower on a tree or bush
A flower, or many flowers together, on a tree or bush, especially in spring.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "blossom" for any flower. In everyday English, "flower" is the usual general word, and "blossom" is most often used for flowers on trees (especially fruit trees) or bushes. Also, both countable and uncountable uses are common: "a blossom" is possible but less common than "blossom" or "blossoms" as a group.
Synonyms
flower (More general term for the colored part of any plant, not only trees or bushes.)
|
bloom (Very close in meaning, but often used more generally for any flowering plant, not especially trees.)
Antonyms
wither (Describes the opposite state, when blossoms dry up and die instead of being fresh and open.)
Collocations
cherry blossom
|apple blossom
|orange blossom
|the trees are in blossom
|spring blossom
|in full blossom
Themes
nature
|plants
|seasons
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In April the cherry trees are covered in pale pink blossom.
- The apple blossom smelled sweet in the evening air.
- White blossom floated down from the trees like snow.
- The garden is full of blossom after the warm weather.
- Bees moved from blossom to blossom, collecting nectar.
Learner examples
- The trees are in blossom in spring.
- I like the pink blossom on the cherry tree.
- There is white blossom outside my window.
- We took photos of the beautiful blossom in the park.
Verb
B2
action
2
(Of plants) to produce flowers
When a tree or bush makes many flowers, usually in spring.
Usage pattern:
[tree/bush] blossoms
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "the tree is flowering blossoms" or "the tree is making blossoms"; natural English is simply "the tree is blossoming" or "the tree is in blossom."
Synonyms
flower (Very close in meaning; slightly more general, used for many plants, not only trees or bushes.)
|
bloom (Very close synonym; often interchangeable, though "bloom" is a bit more common in general use.)
Antonyms
wither (Describes the opposite stage, when flowers dry and die instead of appearing and opening.)
Collocations
the trees blossom
|cherry trees blossom
|orchards blossom
|begin to blossom
|start to blossom
|have blossomed
Themes
nature
|plants
|seasons
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The cherry trees will blossom early this year because of the warm winter.
- Our plum tree blossoms beautifully every spring.
- By late March, the whole valley had blossomed.
- If the weather stays cold, the trees may not blossom properly.
- The hedges blossom with tiny white flowers in May.
Learner examples
- The cherry trees blossom in April.
- Our apple tree blossomed last week.
- Many trees blossom when the weather gets warm.
- These bushes blossom every spring.
Verb
B2
action
3
To develop in a very good way
To grow or change in a very good way, becoming more successful, confident, or beautiful.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] blossoms / blossoms into [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "blossom" only for people and forget it is also common for abstract things like a business, career, or idea. Also, the pattern is usually "blossom" or "blossom into [something]", not *"blossom to" or *"blossom about".
Synonyms
flourish (Very close in meaning; often used for businesses, cultures, or people doing well.)
|
thrive (Focuses on strong, healthy growth or success, often despite difficulty.)
Antonyms
decline (Describes becoming weaker, less successful, or less important, the opposite of blossoming.)
|
wither (Metaphorical opposite: to lose energy, beauty, or success instead of gaining it.)
Collocations
relationship blossomed
|friendship blossomed
|career blossomed
|business is blossoming
|blossom into a confident adult
|blossom into success
Themes
emotions
|personal_growth
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Their small family business has blossomed into an international brand.
- Under her new coach, the young player really blossomed.
- After moving to art school, he blossomed as a painter.
- What started as a simple project blossomed into a lifelong passion.
- Their friendship slowly blossomed into love.
Learner examples
- Her English has blossomed this year.
- The shop has blossomed into a big company.
- After the move, their shy son blossomed at his new school.
- Their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship.
Noun
literary
C1
state
4
Time of youth or greatest beauty
The time when a person or thing is at their best, most beautiful, or most successful, especially when someone is young.
Usage pattern:
in the blossom of [youth/life/career]
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use this sense in everyday speech, but in modern English it sounds literary or poetic. In normal conversation, "in her prime" is much more common than "in the blossom of her youth."
Synonyms
prime (Very close in meaning; common modern word for the best or strongest time in a person’s life or career.)
|
heyday (Emphasizes the period when success or popularity was greatest, less focused on beauty.)
Antonyms
decline (Refers to the period after the peak, when strength, beauty, or success begins to fall.)
Collocations
the blossom of youth
|in full blossom
|in the blossom of her career
|the blossom of life
Themes
time
|life_stages
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He died in the very blossom of youth.
- The artist painted her in the blossom of her beauty.
- This novel was written in the blossom of his career.
- In his blossom, he was the finest singer of his generation.
Learner examples
- She was in the blossom of youth at that time.
- The city was in the blossom of its power.
- He wrote the book in the blossom of his career.
Grammar
Dictionary form
blossom
IPA
GB/blˈɑsəm/
US/blˈɑsəm/
Syllables & stress
blos - som (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (blos)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: blossom
- Plural: blossom, blossoms
Verb
- Base: blossom
- 3rd Person Singular: blossoms
- Present Participle: blossoming
- Past: blossomed
Word family
Expressions
blossom into
1/blˈɑsəm ˈɪntu/
phrasal verb
Develop into something better
To change and grow into a better, more complete, or more successful form of something.
Examples
- Their idea blossomed into a successful startup.
- Over the year, the shy girl blossomed into a confident speaker.
cherry blossom
1/t͡ʃˈɛɹi blˈɑsəm/
fixed phrase
Flowers of cherry trees
The light pink or white flowers that grow on cherry trees, usually in spring.
Examples
- The city is famous for its cherry blossom in April.
- We went to the park to see the cherry blossom festival.
- Cherry blossom covers the streets with petals when it falls.
come into blossom
1/kˈʌm ˈɪntu blˈɑsəm/
fixed phrase
To start having flowers
To begin to have flowers; to start blossoming.
Examples
- The apple trees usually come into blossom in late March.
- As soon as the trees came into blossom, the bees appeared.
in blossom
1/ˈɪn blˈɑsəm/
fixed phrase
Having flowers on a tree
Used to say that a tree or bush has many open flowers on it.
Examples
- All the orchards are in blossom right now.
- When the almond trees are in blossom, the village looks beautiful.
in the blossom of youth
1/ˈɪn ðə blˈɑsəm əv jˈuθ/
idiom
literary
In the best time of youth
At a very young and beautiful age, when someone is strong and full of life.
Examples
- She died tragically in the blossom of youth.
- The portrait shows the king in the blossom of youth.