mix

1 of 2

verb

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 outIrving Howe

intransitive verb

1
a
: to become mixed
b
: to be capable of mixing
2
: to enter into relations : associate
3
4
: to become involved : participate
decided not to mix in politics
mixable 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 amenitiesLondon Times
3
Phrases
mix it up
: to engage in a fight, contest, or dispute
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
As people approached the trucks and began to collect their sacks of flour, the Israeli military fired on them, killing over a hundred men whose blood mixed with flour. Doris Bittar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2024 Evangelicals were mixed on its morality, and secular people embraced it with few qualms. Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Conservationists believe by allowing Mexican wolves to travel north of I-40 and naturally mix with northern wolves, the genetic diversity of the wild Mexican wolf population would increase and prevent possible extinction. Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 Add your organic soil to the bed first, and then your layers of amendments, and gently mix them in with a garden fork or hand fork. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Friday’s Key News Asian equities were mixed overnight, as Japan, China, and India outperformed, while Taiwan and South Korea fell. Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Groups of five mice were given a life-threatening dose of the toxin from the venom of a krait, mixed with the antibody. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Konstantin Kersting produced and mixed the song, which hit No. 1 in more than 30 countries around the world. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 29 Feb. 2024 Furthermore, this beer gives us the opportunity to create a Stone Delicious mixed 12-pack, with three beers of each variety. Gary Stoller, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
The funds for the renovation were a mix of private equity, construction debt financing, and state and federal historic tax credits. Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 But when additional candidates are in the mix — Cornel West, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Jill Stein, for example — that lead falls to 12 points. Erika D. Smith, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 This month’s participating shows include a wide mix of professional, community and touring theater productions, a ballet, comedy shows and concerts. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2024 Soil Most bonsai soil mixes are a combination of Akadama (hard-baked clay), pumice, lava rock, and soil. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Even the drinks are more premium: The Grove had the only bar with a proper margarita, made with top-shelf tequila, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice, instead of neon frozen slush or Cuervo and sour mix. Brett Berk, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 The menu here offers a mix of Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine, as well as fresh sushi. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024 Thailand emerged as the leading choice, offering a mix of urban exploration and serene getaways. Brianna Kamienski, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 For me, updates on immigration policy, announcements about events my company is organizing, recaps of events and thought leadership on industry trends are all in the mix. Marianella Manzur, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mix.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of mix was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mix

Cite this Entry

“Mix.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mix. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mix

1 of 2 verb
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

More from Merriam-Webster on mix

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