Meaning & use
in bloom
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
having flowers that are open, especially on a plant or tree that many people notice
Grammar: Used after be or after verbs like come, burst, and be out: the tree is in bloom.
Patterns
- something is in bloom
- come into bloom
- be in full bloom
The cherry trees along the river are in bloom right now.
By early May the whole hillside is in bloom.
The roses came into bloom a little late this year because of the cold spring.
phrasefixed phrasefigurativeliterary
at the stage of life or work when someone is most active, successful, or admired
Grammar: Figurative and usually literary; often used with a person or a period of time.
Patterns
- someone is in bloom
- a period is in bloom
She was in bloom that summer, full of plans and energy.
The city's music scene was in bloom in the late nineties.
Common combinations
- in full bloom
- The garden is in full bloom by the middle of June.
- come into bloom
- The daffodils come into bloom before the tulips.
- burst into bloom
- After the rain, the whole meadow burst into bloom.
- be in bloom
- Are the apple trees in bloom yet?
- late in bloom
- These are late in bloom, so you can enjoy them into October.
Synonyms and how they differ
- flowering
- Describes the same stage but works as an adjective or noun before the noun, as in 'a flowering shrub'.
- blossoming
- Often used for trees and bushes, and it can also mean developing well, so it sounds slightly more literary than 'in bloom'.
- out
- Informal and British: 'the roses are out' means the same, but it only works for flowers, not for a person's success.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: in bloom or blossom? in bloom or bloom?
in bloom vs blossom
Blossom is mainly the flower of a fruit tree, and as a verb it often suggests developing into something good. 'In bloom' is the general phrase for open flowers of any plant.
in bloom vs bloom
As a noun, 'bloom' can also mean a healthy glow on the skin or a dusty coating on fruit, meanings that 'in bloom' does not have.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'in bloom' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'In bloom' is a fixed phrase that follows the verb be, so 'are in bloom' is right. Option 1 is missing 'in' before 'the park'; option 2 uses the wrong tense with 'yesterday'; option 3 puts the bare verb 'bloom' after 'are', which needs an -ing form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “in bloom”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.