- 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.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
Qualcomm is still priced as a smartphone and wireless-technology company with budding aspirations in other segments.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 25, 2026
“Teenagers get to test their budding independence,” she writes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
“In five years I’ll probably be retired, but these guys will still be 25, 26, right in the thick of it,” Barnes said of the budding Thunder-Spurs rivalry.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
As she clasped the cloak around her shoulders, Gingersnipes stole a glance at the budding infestation outside the cottage window.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
