mellow

[ mel-oh ]

adjective

, mel·low·er, mel·low·est.

1. soft, sweet, and full-flavored from ripeness, as fruit.

   Antonyms: green, raw, immature

2. well-matured, as wines.
3. soft and rich, as sound, tones, color, or light.

   Antonyms: harsh

4. made gentle and compassionate by age or maturity; softened.
5. friable or loamy, as soil.
6. mildly and pleasantly intoxicated or high.
7. pleasantly agreeable; free from tension, discord, etc.:

   a mellow neighborhood.

8. affably relaxed; easygoing; genial:

   a mellow teacher who is very popular with her students.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become mellow.

   Synonyms: improve, mature, develop

noun

1. Slang. a state, atmosphere, or mood of ease and gentle relaxation.

verb phrase

1. Slang.
   1. to become detached from worry, strife, stress, etc.; relax:

      After final exams let's go down to the beach and mellow out.

   2. to make more relaxed, agreeable, workable, etc.; soften or smooth:

      Chopin really mellows me out when I'm feeling tense.

mellow

/ ˈmɛləʊ /

adjective

1. (esp of fruits) full-flavoured; sweet; ripe
2. (esp of wines) well-matured
3. (esp of colours or sounds) soft or rich
4. kind-hearted, esp through maturity or old age
5. genial, as through the effects of alcohol
6. (of soil) soft and loamy

verb

1. to make or become mellow; soften; mature
2. foll by out to become calm and relaxed or (esp of a drug) to have a calming or relaxing effect on (someone)

Derived Forms

• ˈmellowness, noun
• ˈmellowly, adverb

Other Words From

• mellow·ly adverb
• mellow·ness noun
• over·mellow adjective
• over·mellow·ly adverb
• over·mellow·ness noun
• un·mellow adjective
• un·mellowed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mellow¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English mel(o)we, alteration (perhaps by dissimilation, in phrase meruw fruit ) of Middle English meruw, Old English meru “soft”

Word History and Origins

Origin of mellow¹

C15: perhaps from Old English meru soft (as through ripeness)

Synonym Study

See ripe.

Example Sentences

The hall should, over time, open up sonically and, with luck, mellow.

From Los Angeles Times

Secondly, nothing is added to mellow, like a creamy dressing or chunks of avocado.

From Salon

At the Aug. 2 dinner, Mr. Trump told donors that the news media had been incorrectly suggesting that he had mellowed since the assassination attempt.

From Salon

“So even without being touched by vaccines, just the virus itself has mellowed over time.”

From Los Angeles Times

It’s something like London rap or it’s something super mellow.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• soften
• sweeten

More About Mellow

What does mellow mean?

Mellow means soft, sweet, and full of flavor, usually in reference to ripe fruits.

Mellow can also mean well matured, especially in reference to wine.

Mellow can also mean soft and rich, usually in reference to sound, color, or musical tone.

And mellow can describe a mild and pleasant intoxication or high.

You’ll also see mellow used in reference to people. A mellow person is usually easy-going and relaxed. If they’ve mellowed over time, they’ve become more relaxed.

In slang, mellow means a mood or atmosphere of relaxation. You might hear something like “Don’t harsh my mellow,” meaning “Don’t spoil my good mood.”

Example: Luis became much more mellow after they left their stressful job.

Where does mellow come from?

The first records of the term mellow come from around the early 1400s. It ultimately comes from the Old English word meru, meaning “soft.”

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to mellow?

• mellowly (adverb)
• mellowness (noun)
• overmellow (adjective)
• unmellowed (adjective)

What are some synonyms for mellow?

• soften
• delicate
• savory
• ripe
• matured

What are some words that often get used in discussing mellow?

• voice
• flavor
• mood
• taste

How is mellow used in real life?

Mellow is a common word used to describe something that is pleasantly agreeable in some way.

Ikat was one of our original beers and our first ever DIPA 🍺

Full bodied and packed full of tropical notes of Guava, Mango & Passionfruit, these fruit flavours make way for mellow notes of honey, with a smooth but bold finish 👌🏻

Shop: https://t.co/TwjGJVGphN pic.twitter.com/2qAYRTfPyL

— SALT (@SaltBeerFactory) November 4, 2020

It's not "barred" as in total ban.

It's just the zeitgeist.

The Danes saying, "You don't need it if you are under 50" is a warning.

In practice it could mean ban. It depends how the Danes apply the guideline – which are rare there.

They are pretty mellow and sensible people.

— Injectionjab (@Injectionjab) September 15, 2022

Donkey in Norwich this morning. Surprisingly mellow, given the circumstances. pic.twitter.com/GRHR72eyfC

— Sam Jordison (@samjordison) November 4, 2020

Try using mellow!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of mellow?

A. savory
B. soft
C. young
D. sweet