blushing

[ bluhsh-ing ]

adjective

1. reddening, as from embarrassment or self-consciousness:

   All eyes were on the blushing bride—the star of the evening!

   At the mayor’s request, they serenaded the blushing councilor with a rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

2. feeling or showing embarrassment or self-consciousness:

   The author plows ahead with a disarmingly blushing work about trying to embrace her queer identity, her marriage, and motherhood simultaneously.

3. rosy, as the sky, flowers, etc.:

   This chocolate Valentine cake is delicious—and the blushing raspberry frosting is the perfect pink.

Other Words From

• blush·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of blushing¹

First recorded in 1560–70; blush ( def ) + -ing ²( def )

Example Sentences

Turns out blushing is a spontaneous emotional reaction, instead of a result of cognitive self-reflection, new research published on Wednesday suggests.

From BBC

The findings published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal show that blushing was more intense when participants watched themselves singing compared with watching others sing.

From BBC

Milica Nikolić, a developmental psychologist from the university’s Institute for Child Development and Education and lead author on the study, had already investigated blushing as a physiological measure of young children’s emotions in social settings.

From BBC

“I got interested in what exactly triggers blushing - is it thinking about what other people think of us, or is it more an automatic and spontaneous reaction to social exposure?” she asked.

From BBC

This question posits the two main theories on what causes blushing.

From BBC