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.
e
: laid-back
mellow background music
3
of soil
: having a soft and loamy consistency
mellowly
adverb
mellowness
noun
Synonyms
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
Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 18 June 2024
It’s taken me from being an angry young man to being a very calm, mellow adult.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2024
Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 13 June 2024
The alternative is to wait (perhaps for a rather long time) for China to mellow; although currently in eclipse, there is a substantial liberal element in China.
—John Mueller, Foreign Affairs, 21 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for mellow 
Adjective
Pros: Scott's mellow temperament and traditional conservative values could tame fears about Trump's erratic decision-making — and Republicans could benefit from having a person of color on the ticket.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 18 June 2024
It’s taken me from being an angry young man to being a very calm, mellow adult.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2024
Verb
This Cabernet Sauvignon–Merlot blend offers incredible balance and complexity, with layers of blackberry, raspberry, mocha, black-tea, and nutmeg flavors wrapped in powerful tannins that will mellow to perfect drinkability while lovingly stored in your cellar.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 13 June 2024
The alternative is to wait (perhaps for a rather long time) for China to mellow; although currently in eclipse, there is a substantial liberal element in China.
—John Mueller, Foreign Affairs, 21 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for mellow
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mellow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near mellow
Cite this Entry
“Mellow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mellow. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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