bub·ble
| \ ˈbə-bəl
\
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Definition of bubble
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a small globule typically hollow and light: such as
a
: a small body of gas within a liquid
b
: a thin film of liquid inflated with air or gas
c
: a globule in a transparent solid
d
: something (such as a plastic or inflatable structure) that is hemispherical or semicylindrical
2a
: something that lacks firmness, solidity, or reality
b
: a delusive scheme
3
: a sound like that of bubbling
4
: magnetic bubble
5
: a state of booming economic activity (as in a stock market) that often ends in a sudden collapse
6
: the condition of being at risk of exclusion or replacement (as from a tournament)
—usually used in the phrase on the bubble teams still on the bubble for the playoffs
7
: an enclosed or isolated sphere of experience or activity in which the like-minded members of a homogeneous community support and reinforce their shared opinions
the liberal/conservative bubble Countless people … complain that Facebook employees are increasingly living in a bubble.— Nick Bilton
burst someone's bubble
informal
: to cause someone to suddenly realize that something believed, trusted, or admired is not really true, good, etc.
I hate to burst your bubble high school seniors, but, for most of you, the dreaded cafeteria food isn't going to get any better.— Sarah Tarr
bubble
verb
bubbled;
bubbling\ ˈbə-b(ə-)liŋ
\
\
Definition of bubble (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: to form or produce bubbles
b
: to rise in or as if in bubbles
—usually used with up
2
: to flow with a gurgling sound
a brook bubbling over rocks
3a
: to become lively or effervescent
bubbling with good humor
b
: to speak in a lively and fluent manner
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Synonyms & Antonyms for bubble
Synonyms: Verb
dribble, guggle, gurgle, lap, plash, ripple, splash, trickle, wash
Antonyms: Verb
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Examples of bubble in a Sentence
Noun
They saw air bubbles in the water. There were bubbles in the ice. The Internet stock bubble finally burst.Verb
the soapy water bubbled down the drain
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Another player to well and truly burst his goalscoring bubble when joining Bolton was Championship Manager legend Mario Jardel. — SI.com, "Remembering 12 of Bolton's Most Memorable Premier League Players," 27 Aug. 2019 The hot lava, full of gas bubbles, cools in the ocean water and produces pumice, which floats to the surface above the eruption. — Author: Katie Mettler, Anchorage Daily News, "There’s a giant volcanic rock ‘raft’ floating in the Pacific Ocean," 27 Aug. 2019 The pacing in our little bubble was on point, not too rushed, not too drawn out. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: Get ready for a long night — and to have your mind blown — at Arama," 15 Aug. 2019 Someone's either cleaning up around them or after them or before them to protect their little bubble. — Julie Kosin, Harper's BAZAAR, "In Season 2, Succession Is Sarah Snook's Show," 12 Aug. 2019 And people spend more time on these sites when the content in their filter bubbles reinforces their own ideas. — Kristina Libby, Popular Mechanics, "Why Tech Will Never Be Able to Predict the Next Mass Shooting," 6 Aug. 2019 Seltzers are a subset of sparkling waters: plain water that gets its bubbles from carbon dioxide (CO2). — Rachel Sugar, Vox, "How we stopped counting calories and learned to love Spindrift," 29 July 2019 Suárez smiled then blew his trademark bubble with his gum. — Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Reds crush Milwaukee Brewers for 5th straight win, longest win streak of year," 20 June 2019 The pilot, not unlike New York and London cabbies, is also enclosed in their own plexiglass bubble, keeping sightlines of the horizon open for maximum views (and to keep you from backseat flying). — Meredith Carey, Condé Nast Traveler, "A First Look Inside Uber's Flying Taxis," 11 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Lead concerns in the Steel City have been bubbling up for years now, culminating with a major lawsuit brought against the city by Pittsburgh United and the NRDC that was settled earlier this year. — Molly Enking, WIRED, "Flint, Newark, and the Persistent Crisis of Lead in Water," 28 Aug. 2019 One in particular that’s been bubbling up is the Ayurvedic diet. — Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health.com, "What Is the Ayurvedic Diet—and Can It Help You Lose Weight?," 12 Aug. 2019 However, this now looks to be water under the bridge - with swift progress expected to be made on a deal that has been bubbling under the surface all summer long. — SI.com, "Leroy Sane Agrees to Join Bayern Munich With Fee Expected to Exceed €100m," 1 Aug. 2019 Last month, a bill that would allow extradition to China galvanized opposition from a wide swath of society and uncorked the anger and frustration that has been bubbling under the surface since 2014. — James Griffiths, CNN, "Hong Kong's democracy movement was about hope. These protests are driven by desperation," 2 July 2019 Protests have been bubbling there since late last year, drawing thousands. — The Economist, "Rubbish is becoming a political problem in Russia," 29 June 2019 Finally, Validation The topic of workplace bullying has been bubbling up more and more recently. — Jessica Press, Redbook, "Women Need to Know They Don't Have to Take Bullying in the Workplace," 19 Sep. 2018 Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until fruit starts to bubble around the edges and the topping turns golden brown. — Marcy Goldman, Twin Cities, "With less sugar, these cobblers, crisps and crumbles let their fruit flavors shine brighter," 15 Aug. 2019 Step 3 Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until fruit starts to bubble around the edges and the topping turns golden brown. — Marcy Goldman, Washington Post, "A mix of berries makes this less sweet crisp a true delight," 6 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bubble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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