blush

1 of 2

noun

1
: outward appearance : view
at first blush
2
: a reddening of the face especially from shame, modesty, or confusion
3
: a red or rosy tint
4
: a cosmetic applied to the face to give a usually pink color or to accent the cheekbones
blushful adjective

blush

2 of 2

verb

blushed; blushing; blushes

intransitive verb

1
: to become red in the face especially from shame, modesty, or confusion
2
: to feel shame or embarrassment
3
: to have a rosy or fresh color : bloom

Examples of blush in a Sentence

Noun The comment brought a blush to her cheeks. The fruit is yellow, with a blush of pink. She put on a little lipstick and blush. Verb He blushed at the compliment. I blush to admit it, but you've caught me in an error.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Could the pink ribbon emoji mean one shade of blush will also be called Ribbon? Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2024 Holmes’ makeup, meanwhile, consisted of light blush, pink lipstick and silver eyeshadow. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 This style features a multi-colored glitter in mint green, blush, and gold that sparkles on the sneaker with the bakery’s signature mint green on the outsoles to match. Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Compact cream blushes like these from Merit and Milk Makeup can be applied with your fingers and instantly melt into your skin without much blending necessary. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2024 On her cheeks, nothing too brash, just a faint dusting of coral blush to sculpt and define. Georgia Day, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024 Campbell’s hair was more polished than the other models’ windswept looks, while blush contoured her prominent cheekbones and oiled, porcelain highpoints. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 21 Feb. 2024 The multitasker can be used as blush, a lip tint and a creamy eyeshadow stick. Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Colman Domingo in Off-White The best actor nominee for Rustin continues to push style boundaries with his red-carpet looks, including this blush pink tuxedo, a custom look by Off-White. Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2024
Verb
Over the past century, without ever really blushing, the American right has similarly celebrated the likes of Adolf Hitler, Francisco Franco, and just about every Latin American military junta that called itself anti-communist. Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2024 Couples can treat themselves with everything from blushing seafood cioppino to chargrilled filet topped with blue cheese. Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 30 Jan. 2024 Though 2022 saw the triumph of Everything Everywhere All at Once, there existed another film that was also a pageant of absurd, maximalist thrill that left MCU blushing in its wake. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 17 Jan. 2024 There are silvery splashes in the leaf center, and the edges might even be blushed with reddish-purple. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2024 Here, a quick marinade lends the steaks smokey-sharp flavor, while a quick sear in a blazing-hot pan leaves the meat browned outside and blushing within. Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2023 This photograph was taken right after that action; their cheeks were still blushed red, not only due to the makeup. Brandon Choe, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2023 The 30 colors range from dark brown to blush pink and just about everything in between, and the $17 sale price makes this a steal. Brittany Vanderbill, Travel + Leisure, 19 Nov. 2023 But its romantic shape — a graceful or bulbous gooseneck ending in a pert stem, like an upturned nose, a plump and curvaceous bottom, heavy and steady and often blushed — is bested only by its complex taste. G. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blush.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, probably from blusshen

Verb

Middle English blusshen, from Old English blyscan to redden; akin to Old English blȳsa flame, Old High German bluhhen to burn brightly

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blush was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near blush

Cite this Entry

“Blush.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blush. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

blush

1 of 2 verb
1
: to become red in the face especially from shame, confusion, or embarrassment
2
: to feel shame or embarrassment
3
: to have a rosy color : bloom
blusher noun

blush

2 of 2 noun
1
: outward appearance : view
at first blush
2
: a reddening of the face especially from shame, confusion, or embarrassment
3
: a red or rosy tint

Medical Definition

blush

intransitive verb
: to become red in the face especially from shame, modesty, or confusion
blush noun

More from Merriam-Webster on blush

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