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
Arizona is known for its mellow wintertime weather appealing to snowbirds seeking a reprieve from freezing conditions. Eshaan Sarup, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 Who can resist mellow lemon and salty cheese, each noodle so tender and full of care? Mackenzie Chung Fegan, Bon Appétit, 18 Mar. 2024 Friends who have moved from the suburbs to Manhattan report that their dogs paradoxically mellow in their new surroundings. Marie Myung-Ok Lee, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Art Wager/Getty South Padre Island College students head to South Padre Island to party during spring break; over the rest of the year, however, a more mellow vibe prevails. Pam Leblanc, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2024 There’s a paradoxical mellow and electric vibe there. Kim Westerman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Begin with a 10-Year-Old Tawny Port for its delicate nuttiness and mellow notes of butterscotch, walnut, and chocolate. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024 This biz brainstorms fanciful flavors—such as vanilla bean ice cream perfumed with a hint of jasmine and lychee jellies; mellow jackfruit cream with lightly roasted chili cashew nuts; and mango ice cream with peach-mango fruit swirls and pie crust crunch. Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Lake Hollywood: Tucked into the Hollywood Hills on the western edge of Griffith Park, Lake Hollywood is an ideal spot for a mellow walk or bike ride. Michael Charboneau, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
Cucumbers add a welcome crunch to this refreshing summer salad, mellowing and cooling the mix of ingredients. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2023 As the clementine mellowed, the honey note is what stood out to my nose. Jihan Forbes, Allure, 21 Dec. 2023 Add movement and dimension with mid-length and long layers, which will mellow the squareness of the face. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2023 The whiskey was charcoal mellowed before entering barrels, aka the Lincoln County process during which the new make spirit is filtered through ten feet of hard sugar maple charcoal made on the distillery grounds. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2023 Cut to 37 years later, in 2007, when it’s immediately established that Flynt, now working in the construction business, has not mellowed, getting into a fistfight at a work site. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2023 But the book’s final stretch is also the story of how Reed mellowed. Jeremy Lybarger, The New Republic, 17 Oct. 2023 Basically, aim for whatever mellows you out for 30 to 60 minutes before crawling under the covers. Tamekia Reece, SELF, 10 Oct. 2023 The gel-like top layer of passion fruit is a punch of flavor, tactfully mellowed by the cream and crepe. Samantha Chery, Washington Post, 31 July 2023

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 28 Mar. 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

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