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.
e
: laid-back
mellow background music
3
of soil
: having a soft and loamy consistency
mellowly
adverb
mellowness
noun
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
Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 9 May 2025
Butter yellow is everywhere—from runways to celebrity homes—but there’s something undeniably comforting (and nostalgic) about this mellow hue.
—Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 9 May 2025
Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2025
Continue to invite both of your sons to family gatherings, and hope that eventually Jared will mellow.
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mellow
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Adjective
Whether your mom is new to edibles or an experienced user, these treats can offer a relaxing, mellow experience.
—Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 9 May 2025
Butter yellow is everywhere—from runways to celebrity homes—but there’s something undeniably comforting (and nostalgic) about this mellow hue.
—Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 9 May 2025
Verb
But rebounding borrowing costs have since mellowed the frenzy, according to some analysts and real estate agents.
—Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2025
Continue to invite both of your sons to family gatherings, and hope that eventually Jared will mellow.
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mellow
Cite this Entry
“Mellow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mellow. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mellow
1 of 2 adjective
mel·low
ˈmel-ō 
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
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