mull

1 of 4

verb (1)

mulled; mulling; mulls

transitive verb

1
: to grind or mix thoroughly : pulverize
mull a portion of the pigment with the oilH. J. Wolfe
2
: to consider at length : ponder
often used with over
mulled over his choices
It's a fine offer, but we need time to mull it over.

intransitive verb

: meditate, ponder
all his talk of mulling and weighing and balancing was vacillationJ. P. Marquand

mull

2 of 4

verb (2)

mulled; mulling; mulls

transitive verb

: to heat, sweeten, and flavor (a beverage, such as wine or cider) with spices

mull

3 of 4

noun (1)

: a soft fine sheer fabric of cotton, silk, or rayon

mull

4 of 4

noun (2)

1
: friable forest humus that forms a layer of mixed organic matter and mineral soil and merges gradually into the mineral soil beneath
2
: a finely powdered solid especially in a suspension

Examples of mull in a Sentence

Verb (1) the dentist was in the habit of mulling the mercury amalgam in the palm of his hand
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Trump has publicly mulled the U.S. directly engaging militarily to devastate Iran’s nuclear capabilities in the absence of a deal to rein in Tehran’s nuclear program. Jesse Byrnes, The Hill, 19 June 2025 Emerging from the London Underground, Turnpike Lane has a bustling shopping area in either direction: cafés, supermarkets and takeaways with plenty of people mulling about. Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 19 June 2025 Frank Carollo has already filed to run for the District 3 City Commission seat — currently occupied by his brother — and Joe Carollo has long been mulling another run for mayor. Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025 Before speaking with Forbes, neither Kane nor Kramer was aware the government was mulling an expansion of the travel ban, but both stressed the importance of staying nimble in an uncertain environment. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mull

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from mul, mol dust, probably from Middle Dutch; akin to Old English melu meal — more at meal

Verb (2)

origin unknown

Noun (1)

by shortening & alteration from mulmul muslin, from Hindi malmal

Noun (2)

Danish muld, from Old Norse mold dust, soil; akin to Old High German molta dust, soil — more at mold entry 5

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1618, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1778, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mull was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mull.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mull. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

mull

1 of 2 verb
: to think about slowly and carefully : ponder
mull over an idea

mull

2 of 2 verb
: to sweeten, spice, and heat
mulled wine
Etymology

Verb

Middle English mullen "to grind up or mix thoroughly," from mul, mol "dust"

Verb

origin unknown

Medical Definition

mull

1 of 2 transitive verb
: to grind or mix thoroughly (as in a mortar) : pulverize
the alloy, after removal from the amalgamator, was mulled in the palm of the handJournal of American Dental Association

mull

2 of 2 noun
1
: a soft fine sheer fabric of cotton, silk, or rayon
2
: an ointment of high melting point intended to be spread on muslin or mull and used like a plaster
zinc mull

Geographical Definition

Mull

geographical name

island of western Scotland in the Inner Hebrides area 351 square miles (913 square kilometers), population 1499

More from Merriam-Webster on mull

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