mellow

1 of 2

adjective

mel·​low ˈme-(ˌ)lō 

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

transitive verb

: to make mellow

intransitive verb

: to become mellow

—often used with out

Synonyms

Adjective

• euphonious
• lyric
• lyrical
• mellifluent
• mellifluous
• melodic
• melodious
• musical

Verb

• chill
• chill out [slang]
• de-stress
• decompress
• loosen up
• relax
• unwind
• wind down

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

The song lifts from No. 30 to No. 26 on the Adult Contemporary chart, which ranks the most successful tunes at radio stations throughout the country that focus on that more mellow subgenre of pop. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Over the wail of the train’s brakes, a guitarist burst into song, his voice clear and mellow. —Monisha Rajesh, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2024

Verb

Granddaddy Purple is the king of getting into the flow and mellowing any potential inhibitions for a relaxed night with your sweetheart. —Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 8 Oct. 2024

The pungent scent of the spiky fruit is mellowed by the cream, a worthy endnote that mimics the grandeur of its surroundings. —The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 21 Oct. 2024

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

Phrases Containing mellow

• mellow out

Kids Definition

mellow

1 of 2 adjective

mel·​low ˈmel-ō 

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