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

b

: mawkish amorousness

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

Noun (1)

• corn
• goo
• schmaltz
• schmalz
• sludge
• slush
• soap opera
• sorghum

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

And at some point around mid-festival, my constitution turns to mush and my brain feels trampled by all these serious, artistic, daring, often incredibly exciting films. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024

For two blissful hours, I was scrubbed, oiled, wrapped and massaged until my skin was as soft as a baby’s and my mind was the best kind of mush. —Lois Alter Mark, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024

Verb

Nordic Husky Farm Who hasn’t dreamed of mushing through the snow with a pack of sled dogs? —Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024

The leather palm provided superior grip while mushing. —Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley, Outside Online, 17 Sep. 2024

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

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"