mush

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈməsh 

especially in sense 3 also

ˈmu̇sh 

1

: a thick porridge made with cornmeal boiled in water or milk

2

: something soft and spongy or shapeless

3

a

: weak sentimentality : drivel

oratorical mush

b

: overly sweet or sappy romantic feelings

… the tenderness never becomes mush.

—Coulton Waugh

also : a story or part of a story that is too romantic or sentimental

mush

2 of 4

verb (1)

ˈməsh 

mushed; mushing; mushes

transitive verb

chiefly dialectal : to reduce to a crumbly mass

intransitive verb

of an airplane : to fly in a partly or nearly stalled condition

mush

3 of 4

verb (2)

ˈməsh 

mushed; mushing; mushes

intransitive verb

: to travel especially over snow with a sled drawn by dogs

—often used as a command to a dog team

mush

4 of 4

noun (2)

ˈməsh 

: a trip especially across snow with a dog team

Synonyms of mush

Noun (1)

• corn
• sludge

Examples of mush in a Sentence

Noun (1)

an opera that is pure mush

couldn't stand all the mush in the movie's romantic scenes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Grab them from the bottom, and a cloud of fruit flies and stink rises from the carcass turning to mush in your hands. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025

However, freezing temperatures or extended periods of frost will turn their leaves and stems to mush. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025

Verb

Head to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort for a history lesson on dog mushing before touring the dog yard and hopping on a sled pulled by a team of Alaskan huskies going 20 mph. —Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 9 Oct. 2025

Especially popular is the sunset tour, a five- to six-mile out-and-back route that allows for both day and night mushing. —Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably alteration of mash

Verb (2)

probably from French marchons, 1st plural imperative of marcher to move, march, from Middle French marchier — more at march

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

circa 1781, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Verb (2)

1862, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1902, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mush

• one's brain turns into/to mush

Rhymes for mush

• blush
• brush
• crush
• flush
• gush
• hush
• lush
• plush
• shush
• slush
• thrush
• airbrush

Kids Definition

mush

1 of 3 noun

ˈməsh 

1

: cornmeal boiled in water or milk

2

: something soft and spongy or shapeless

3

: sickeningly sweet sentimentality

mushily

-ə-lē

adverb

mushy

-ē

adjective

mush

2 of 3 verb

: to travel over snow with a sled drawn by dogs

—often used as a command to a dog team

musher noun

mush

3 of 3 noun

: a trip across snow with a dog team

Etymology

Noun

probably an altered form of mash

Verb

probably from French marchons "let's move," from marcher "to move, march"