mellow

1 of 2

adjective

mel·​low ˈme-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce mellow (audio)
1
a
of a fruit : tender and sweet because of ripeness
b
of a wine : well aged and pleasingly mild
2
a
: made gentle by age or experience
She was a tough and demanding teacher, but she became mellow in her old age.
b
: rich and full but free from garishness or stridency
the mellow tones of an old violin
c
: warmed and relaxed by or as if by liquor
After a few drinks we felt pretty mellow.
d
: pleasant, agreeable
He was in a mellow mood.
e
: laid-back
mellow background music
3
of soil : having a soft and loamy consistency
mellowly adverb
mellowness noun

mellow

2 of 2

verb

mellowed; mellowing; mellows

intransitive verb

: to become mellow
often used with out

Examples of mellow in a Sentence

Adjective The painting captures the mellow light of a summer evening. This wine is very mellow. He was in a mellow mood. She was a tough and demanding teacher, but she became mellower in her old age. He's a very mellow guy. After a couple of drinks we all started feeling pretty mellow. Verb She was a tough and demanding teacher, but she has mellowed in her old age. The wine needs time to mellow. She was a tough and demanding teacher, but old age has mellowed her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Taro root lends a mellow and cozy flavor and texture; Yeh’s version will surprise even the most avid taro fiend (me) with its pillowy, soft, and gentle mouthfeel. Ingu Chen, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2024 Dishes are presented on handmade pottery; jazz tunes set a mellow ambience. Lia Picard, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2024
Verb
The towering ranges of the Himalaya, the Hindu Kush, and the Karakoram corral it into storms that mellow the city’s temperatures without easing the discomfort felt by its residents. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2024 The garlic oil permeates each of the leaves, sweetening and mellowing any of the astringency sometimes associated with raw brassicas. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for mellow 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mellow.' 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

Adjective and Verb

Middle English melowe

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Verb

1575, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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

Dictionary Entries Near mellow

Cite this Entry

“Mellow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mellow. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

mellow

1 of 2 adjective
mel·​low ˈmel-ō How to pronounce mellow (audio)
1
a
: tender and sweet because of ripeness
mellow peaches
b
: well aged and pleasingly mild
a mellow wine
2
a
: made gentle by age or experience
developed a mellow disposition from caring for his grandchildren
b
: pleasant sense 1, agreeable
mellow sounds
c
: laid-back
a mellow personality
3
: being soft and crumbly
mellow soil
4
: being clear, full, and pure
spoke in mellow tones
mellowly adverb
mellowness noun

mellow

2 of 2 verb
: to make or become mellow
old houses, weather-beaten and mellowed by time

More from Merriam-Webster on mellow

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