VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

bubbling

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈbʌblɪŋ/
US/ˈbʌblɪŋ/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Giving off or rising in bubbles, as a liquid does when it boils or fizzes.

    Grammar: Usually before a noun: a bubbling stew. It can follow a verb: the pot was bubbling.

    Patterns

    • a bubbling pot
    • be bubbling away

    A bubbling stew simmered on the stove all afternoon.

    We stopped to watch the bubbling spring in the rocks.

    The bubbling mixture in the flask turned bright blue.

  2. adjectivecomparablefigurativeapproving

    Full of lively energy, cheerful excitement or happy emotion that is almost impossible to hide.

    Grammar: Used figuratively, often followed by with: bubbling with excitement.

    Patterns

    • bubbling with something

    She came back from the interview bubbling with excitement.

    The room was bubbling with chatter before the show began.

    His bubbling enthusiasm made the whole team smile.

Common combinations

bubbling with excitement
The children were bubbling with excitement on the last day of school.
bubbling stream
A bubbling stream ran through the meadow.
bubbling cauldron
The witch stirred a bubbling cauldron in the school play.
bubbling over
She was bubbling over with news about her trip.
gently bubbling
Keep the sauce gently bubbling for ten minutes.

Synonyms and how they differ

fizzing
Fizzing stresses the hissing sound and tiny gas bubbles, as in a soft drink, and fits less well for emotions.
boiling
Boiling means heated until bubbling vigorously, so it is stronger and hotter than gentle bubbling.
effervescent
Effervescent is a more formal word for liquids and especially for personalities that are lively and charming.
simmering
Simmering describes a liquid just below boiling with small, slow bubbles, and it suggests slow-building tension when used figuratively.

Opposites

stillflat

Word family

bubble verb
to form or rise in bubbles
bubble noun
a small ball of air or gas inside a liquid
bubbly adjective
full of bubbles, or lively and cheerful
bubbler noun
a drinking fountain in some regions

Commonly confused: bubbling or bubbly?

bubbling vs bubbly

Bubbly is a general adjective for people who are cheerful, or for a fizzy drink, while bubbling usually describes something happening at that moment.

Practice

She came out of the interview ___ with excitement and could hardly stop talking.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “bubbling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words