bubble
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for bubble, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A thin, round pocket of air or gas inside a liquid or solid, or floating freely.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use bubble
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
Likely imitative of the sound bubbles make, related to "burble." The financial sense dates to the 1720 collapse of the South Sea Company, compared to an inflated soap bubble bursting.
Full origin of bubble →Frequently asked questions
What does “bubble” mean?
The word “bubble” means a thin, round pocket of air or gas inside a liquid or solid, or floating freely. In plain terms, a small pocket of gas in liquid, or by extension, something inflated and fragile — like an overheated market.
How do you pronounce “bubble”?
“Bubble” is pronounced BUHB-l (/ˈbʌb.l̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “bubble” in a sentence?
Here is “bubble” used in a sentence: “The children chased bubbles across the garden.”
What part of speech is “bubble”?
Depending on how it is used, “bubble” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “bubble” come from?
The word “bubble” dates back to around 1720. Likely imitative of the sound bubbles make, related to "burble." The financial sense dates to the 1720 collapse of the South Sea Company, compared to an inflated soap bubble bursting.
Is “bubble” a common word?
“Bubble” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “bubble” have?
“Bubble” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a thin, round pocket of air or gas inside a liquid or solid, or floating freely.
What is the difference between a "bubble" and "foam"?
A bubble is a single thin pocket of air or gas inside or on a liquid, while foam is a mass of many small bubbles packed together. In short, foam is made up of countless bubbles.
What is the difference between a "bubble" and a "blister"?
A bubble is a rounded pocket of air or gas in a liquid or floating freely, whereas a blister is a raised pocket of fluid under the skin or a similar bulge on a surface. Both are dome-shaped, but a blister forms on solid skin or material rather than in liquid.
What is the difference between "bubble" as a noun and "bubble" as a verb?
As a noun, a bubble is the air- or gas-filled pocket itself. As a verb, to bubble means to form or produce bubbles, as when water bubbles as it boils.
What things commonly "bubble" (verb)?
Liquids such as boiling water, simmering soup, and fizzy drinks are commonly said to bubble as they form or release bubbles. The verb describes the active production of bubbles rather than a single bubble.