gush
Americanverb (used without object)
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to flow out or issue suddenly, copiously, or forcibly, as a fluid from confinement.
Water gushed from the broken pipe.
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to express oneself extravagantly or emotionally; talk effusively.
She gushed with pride over her new grandchild.
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to have a sudden, copious flow, as of blood or tears.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a sudden, copious outflow of a fluid.
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the fluid emitted.
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effusive and often insincere language or behavior.
verb
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to pour out or cause to pour out suddenly and profusely, usually with a rushing sound
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to act or utter in an overeffusive, affected, or sentimental manner
noun
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a sudden copious flow or emission, esp of liquid
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something that flows out or is emitted
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an extravagant and insincere expression of admiration, sentiment, etc
Usage
What does gush mean? To gush is to flow forcefully and rapidly. Water gushes out of a firehose. Gush can also be used as a noun referring to such a flow. Gush also commonly means to talk about a particular thing in an emotional, enthusiastic, unreserved way. When used this way, it is often phrased as gush about or gush over. Example: I’m sorry to keep gushing about my baby cousin, but she’s just so adorable!
Related Words
See flow.
Other Word Forms
- gushing adjective
- gushingly adverb
- outgush verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of gush
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; probably of expressive origin; see gust 1, rush 1
Explanation
On hot summer days, city kids will sometimes open a fire hydrant and let the water gush into the street. Things that gush come streaming out. Water can gush out of a hose or a drinking fountain, and you can also call the jet of water itself a gush. A more figurative way to gush is to talk enthusiastically about something — you might gush when you're describing your favorite teacher. Gush comes from the twelfth century English word gosshien, originally "make noises in the stomach," and later "pour out." Gush is an onomatopoeic word — it sounds like what it means.
Vocabulary lists containing gush
Instead of "Said": Words for Upbeat Banter
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Charlotte's Web
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The agent took the opportunity to gush about ICE’s new state-of-the-art semi-automatic tasers and brand-new pepper-ball guns.
From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026
She then proceeded to gush about their new life in the U.K.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 13, 2026
“I don’t want to gush, but he’s gotten better every year,” Michaels said.
From Salon • Dec. 28, 2025
They gush about the time they’ve spent together in fabric stores and flooring supply shops as if they were dimly lighted restaurants primed for date night.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025
Then, over the rush and gush of the dark river beside them, he heard voices again.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
