1 mushroom | Definition of mushroom

mushroom

noun
mush·​room | \ ˈmÉ™sh-ËŒrüm How to pronounce mushroom (audio) , -ËŒru̇m; chiefly Northern and Midland US -ËŒrün; dialectal ˈmÉ™-shÉ™-ËŒrüm, -ËŒru̇m, -ËŒrün\

Definition of mushroom

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : an enlarged complex aboveground fleshy fruiting body of a fungus (such as a basidiomycete) that consists typically of a stem bearing a pileus especially : one that is edible
b : fungus
2 : upstart
3 : something resembling a mushroom

mushroom

verb
mushroomed; mushrooming; mushrooms

Definition of mushroom (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to well up and spread out laterally from a central source
b : to become enlarged or extended : grow
2 : to collect wild mushrooms
3 : to spring up suddenly or multiply rapidly

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of mushroom in a Sentence

Noun

cut up some mushrooms for the salad

Verb

Interest in local history is suddenly mushrooming. Her hobby mushroomed into a thriving business. He goes mushrooming in the spring every year.
See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Franks: The Stuffer Omelet: tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, green pepper, onions, American and Swiss cheese served with homemade toast and hash browns. Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin 'breakfast clubs' are like supper clubs, but with pancakes and hash browns instead of steak and relish trays," 30 Aug. 2019 My favorite of the white pies is the O.G. Bear ($18.50), which comes topped with both mozzarella and Taleggio cheeses, maitake mushrooms, spinach and garlic. Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, "Flour + Water Pizzeria, the home of the $8 slice and much, much more," 29 Aug. 2019 Produce: Cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, radishes, beets, cucumbers, onions, celery, mushrooms, potatoes, Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, coconut, pineapples, fresh apples, peas, strawberries and dried fruit. Kelly Tyko, USA TODAY, "When new, higher tariffs are scheduled to start on Chinese imports and what may cost more," 23 Aug. 2019 Take the opportunity to try Jet’s Super Special 8 Corner Pizza, a Detroit-style deep dish topped with pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, onions and green peppers. Doreen Christensen, sun-sentinel.com, "41 percent off Jet’s Pizzas on Friday," 20 Aug. 2019 Public officials and farmers who grow potatoes, mushrooms, barley and, increasingly, hemp are fiercely protective of the valley’s water resources. Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, "Denver Post listening tour: Alamosa and the San Luis Valley see isolation as their greatest challenge — and strength," 18 Aug. 2019 What's more, depending on the brand, these burgers are made with real veggies, like onions, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, green and red bell peppers, quinoa and brown rice. Lisa Drayer, CNN, "They might be better for the planet, but are plant-based burgers good for you?," 9 Aug. 2019 Not surprisingly, use of ingredients like butter instead of olive oil, and truffles instead of Porcini mushrooms, are French influences. Jim Kempton, Orange County Register, "Follow the French: A look at the French influence on cuisine around the world," 2 Aug. 2019 Once carrots and squash have softened, add broccoli, mushrooms, and an additional 1/2 cup of water. Nazima Qureshi, SELF, "5 Energizing, Plant-Based Dishes This R.D. Relies on During Ramadan," 3 May 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Religious organizations have likewise mushroomed in the country in recent years, a result of generous state budgets that increased with time—more than doubling between 2007 and 2017. Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, "How the Religious Right Transformed Israeli Education," 23 Aug. 2019 Yet concerns of in-game espionage have mushroomed in recent years. Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, "Why Red Sox pitchers are looking inside their caps," 13 Aug. 2019 Demonstrations are showing no sign of fizzling out three weeks after Bouteflika was forced to resign when confronted with weeks of mushrooming protests against his 20-year rule. Souhail Karam, Bloomberg.com, "Billionaire Purge Ensnares Algerian Elites After Leader's Ouster," 22 Apr. 2019 These qualms mushroomed into a currency crisis last year. The Economist, "Argentina faces the prospect of another default," 15 Aug. 2019 The original Isle of Wight Festival in the United Kingdom, which predated Woodstock by a year, mushroomed from a crowd of 10,000 in the summer of 1968 to 150,000 the following year, when the lineup included a Bob Dylan comeback of sorts. James Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, "There could only be one Woodstock," 15 Aug. 2019 Posts on the Facebook page, which has 291,245 followers, quickly mushroomed, with many more photos and Air Force documents, one a spreadsheet listing issues with dorm rooms. Sig Christenson, ExpressNews.com, "S.A. general vows to battle mold at Lackland," 28 July 2019 The current scandal mushroomed from the work of a pair of internet-savvy collectors, who unearthed information over the past three months implicating figures considered fixtures in the hobby. oregonlive.com, "Baseball card collectors suspect rampant fraud in their hobby," 19 July 2019 After all, Netflix's subscriber count has continued to mushroom even though some of the most buzz-worthy shows on TV can't be found there. Paul R. La Monica, CNN, "Netflix may not need old media thanks to 'Stranger Things' and other new hits," 3 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mushroom.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of mushroom

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for mushroom

Noun

Middle English musheron, from Anglo-French musherum, musseron, from Late Latin mussirion-, mussirio

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for mushroom

mushroom

noun

English Language Learners Definition of mushroom

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a fungus that is shaped like an umbrella especially : one that can be eaten

mushroom

verb

English Language Learners Definition of mushroom (Entry 2 of 2)