- present participle of bud.
budding
Britishadjective
Explanation
Something that is described as budding is growing brand new buds. A budding rose bush is getting ready to burst into bloom. If you are in a budding romance, it is also just about to burst into a new phase of excitement. Ooh la la. When a tree or flower is budding, it's showing signs of the branches and blossoms that will soon appear. The same is true of a person who's described as budding — if you're a budding filmmaker, you're new at making movies but already show great promise. Budding most likely comes from the Old French boter, "push forward or thrust."
Vocabulary lists containing budding
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
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Mexican WhiteBoy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Going on hiatus to serve in the military is often a threat for budding careers in South Korea's fast-moving entertainment industry.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Born on Sept. 2, 1943, to John and Mary Ashford, the budding soprano developed her chops singing in the church choir and then in the glee club at Wilbur Wright High School in Detroit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
The story brims with humor, much of it involving Ms. Korsgaard’s attempt to square her work as a budding naturalist with her life as a spouse and parent of three young sons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Despite his 5-foot-10 frame, his elite athleticism for the quarterback position made him look like a budding star.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
A beam of light fell across the grass, hit the bottom of a tree, and illuminated its branches; there, crouching among the budding leaves, was Crookshanks.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
