mix

1 of 2

verb

ˈmiks 

mixed; mixing; mixes

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to combine or blend into one mass

(2)

: to combine with another

b

: to bring into close association

mix business with pleasure

2

a

: to form by mixing components

mix a drink at the bar

b

: to produce (a sound recording) by electronically combining or adjusting sounds from more than one source

3

: confuse

—often used with up

mixes things up in his eagerness to speak out

—Irving Howe

intransitive verb

1

a

: to become mixed

b

: to be capable of mixing

2

: to enter into relations : associate

3

: crossbreed

4

: to become involved : participate

decided not to mix in politics

mixable

ˈmik-sə-bəl 

adjective

mix

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or process of mixing

2

: a product of mixing: such as

a

: a commercially prepared mixture of food ingredients

a cake mix

b

: a combination of different kinds

the right mix of jobs, people and amenities

—London Times

3

: mixer sense 2b

Phrases

mix it up

: to engage in a fight, contest, or dispute

Synonyms

Verb

• amalgamate
• blend
• combine
• comingle
• commingle
• commix
• composite
• concrete
• conflate
• fuse
• homogenize
• immingle
• immix
• incorporate
• integrate
• interfuse
• intermingle
• intermix
• meld
• merge
• mingle

Noun

• admixture
• alloy
• amalgam
• amalgamation
• blend
• cocktail
• combination
• composite
• compound
• conflation
• emulsion
• fusion
• intermixture
• meld
• mixture
• synthesis

Choose the Right Synonym for mix

mix, mingle, commingle, blend, merge, coalesce, amalgamate, fuse mean to combine into a more or less uniform whole.

mix may or may not imply loss of each element's identity.

mix the salad greens

mix a drink

mingle usually suggests that the elements are still somewhat distinguishable or separately active.

fear mingled with anticipation in my mind

commingle implies a closer or more thorough mingling.

a sense of duty commingled with a fierce pride drove her

blend implies that the elements as such disappear in the resulting mixture.

blended several teas to create a balanced flavor

merge suggests a combining in which one or more elements are lost in the whole.

in his mind reality and fantasy merged

coalesce implies an affinity in the merging elements and usually a resulting organic unity.

telling details that coalesce into a striking portrait

amalgamate implies the forming of a close union without complete loss of individual identities.

refugees who were readily amalgamated into the community

fuse stresses oneness and indissolubility of the resulting product.

a building in which modernism and classicism are fused

Examples of mix in a Sentence

Verb

To make frosting for the cake, mix powdered sugar with a little milk and vanilla.

You can make purple by mixing the colors red and blue.

Mix some water with the flour to make a paste.

Noun

a new brand of soup mixes

We bought two boxes of muffin mix.

a snack mix containing pretzels, nuts, and raisins

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

One motto in the baby-led-weaning world is that the parents decide what the child eats—no short-order cooking, hustling to mix pancakes because your toddler rejected his eggs—and the child decides how much. —Olaf Blecker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024

There's also an option to record sounds to mix with the music. —Christine Luff, Parents, 22 Apr. 2024

The indie-rock tunes mix with orchestral interludes, synth drones, field recordings, found sounds from nature or the city streets, all full of raw emotion. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2024

Harrison had limited opposing hitters to a .190 average in at-bats ending in the fastball, but Arizona hitters went 4-for-12 against the pitch, and Harrison only mixed in his other offerings 22 times, barely a quarter of his 74 pitches. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024

Florida school districts will soon have the option of allowing volunteer chaplains to counsel students under a bill signed Thursday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who dismissed critics opposed to mixing religion with public education. —Brendan Farrington, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024

Jake Lummus is our studio engineer and Amar Lal mixed this episode. —Leah Feiger, WIRED, 18 Apr. 2024

Alia’s superpower is her ability to mix movie-star magnetism with authenticity and sensitivity. —Tom Harper, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024

Max Maloney Balancing old and new was a priority, as Allison loves mixing both. —Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024

Noun

The best EVs offer a mix of power, speed and fast-charging capabilities, said John Vincent, senior editor for vehicle testing. —Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2024

When third-party candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West and Jill Stein were added to the mix, 39% of voters chose Biden, and 37% chose Trump. —USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2024

Some carriers already offer 4G LTE home internet, and some offer a mix of 4G and 5G. Both work the same way and require a receiver, but 5G allows faster speeds and lower latency. —Simon Hill, WIRED, 21 Apr. 2024

Factors that could shift the vote Biden’s lead among likely voters shrinks when third-party and independent candidates are added to the mix. —David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024

Throughout the season, a rotating cast of notable chefs, including Michelin-starred David Shim and James Beard Award winner Michelle Bernstein, add their own culinary magic to the mix. —John Vorwald, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2024

Movie theaters in New York are only allowed to sell beer and wine, according to the New York State Liquor Authority, but this new legislation would add liquor to the mix. —Maysoon Khan, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024

Perhaps a free agent veteran or two could be added to that mix later in the offseason. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024

That iteration aired for one year and brought Leighton’s Sydney into the mix as the landlord of the central complex. —Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, back-formation from mixte mixed, from Anglo-French, from Latin mixtus, past participle of miscēre to mix; akin to Greek mignynai to mix

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

circa 1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mix

• do not mix
• mix and match
• mix business with pleasure
• mix it
• mix it up
• mix tape
• mix-up
• mix up in
• mix up with
• pick-and-mix
• trail mix

Kids Definition

mix

1 of 2 verb

ˈmiks 

1

: to make into one mass by stirring together : blend

2

: to make by combining different things

3

: to become one mass through blending

oil will not mix with water

4

: to associate with others on friendly terms

mixes well in any company

5

: confuse sense 3

mix up facts

mix

2 of 2 noun

: mixture

especially : a prepared mixture of ingredients for use in preparing foods

a muffin mix