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• mull
  mull

  verb (used without object)

  to study or ruminate; ponder.
• Mull
  Mull

  noun

  an island in the Hebrides, in W Scotland. About 351 sq. mi. (910 sq. km).

mull

¹ American  

[muhl] / mʌl /

verb (used without object)

1. to study or ruminate; ponder.

   Synonyms:

   weigh, consider

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verb (used with object)

1. to think about carefully; consider (often followed byover ).

   to mull over an idea.

2. to make a mess or failure of.

mull ² American  

[muhl] / mʌl /

verb (used with object)

1. to heat, sweeten, and flavor with spices for drinking, as ale or wine.

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mull ³ American  

[muhl] / mʌl /

noun

1. a soft, thin muslin.

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mull ⁴ American  

[muhl] / mʌl /

verb (used with object)

Metallurgy.

1. to mix (clay and sand) under a roller for use in preparing a mold.

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Mull ⁵ American  

[muhl] / mʌl /

noun

1. an island in the Hebrides, in W Scotland. About 351 sq. mi. (910 sq. km).

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Mull ¹ British  

/ mʌl /

noun

1. a mountainous island off the west coast of Scotland, in the Inner Hebrides, separated from the mainland by the Sound of Mull . Chief town: Tobermory. Pop: 2667 (2001). Area: 909 sq km (351 sq miles)

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mull ² British  

/ mʌl /

verb

1. to study or ponder

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mull ³ British  

/ mʌl /

verb

1. (tr) to heat (wine, ale, etc) with sugar and spices to make a hot drink

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mull ⁴ British  

/ mʌl /

noun

1. a light muslin fabric of soft texture

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mull ⁵ British  

/ mʌl /

noun

1. a layer of nonacidic humus formed in well drained and aerated soils Compare mor

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mull ⁶ British  

/ mʌl /

noun

1. a promontory

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Other Word Forms

• mulled
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of mull¹

First recorded in 1815–25; perhaps identical with mull “to crumble, pulverize”; see mull ⁴

Origin of mull²

First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain

Origin of mull³

First recorded in 1670–80; earlier mulmul, from Hindi malmal

Origin of mull⁴

First recorded in 1400–50; of uncertain origin; possibly from Middle English mollen, mullen, originally, “to moisten, soften by wetting”; see moil

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Explanation

The verb mull means to think deeply about something, the way you might mull over your choice of what college to attend. When you mull something over, you ponder or seriously consider it. You could mull over what aid organization to donate money to following a natural disaster, or mull over what to study in college. People are most likely to mull over important decisions, but you can use the word mull, almost always with over, any time you're giving serious consideration to something. A completely different meaning of mull is "to heat, sweeten, and spice," as when you make mulled cider.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mull Mull

Schertz Assistant Police Chief Phillip Waller said the lack of information about the freeze is causing “major havoc” in smaller departments as local elected officials mull the long-term implications.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

Stock futures were mostly lower as traders mull bank earnings and await U.S. consumer price index data.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

And so, some still mull just scuttling the agency.

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026

Healey's allies suggest they'd agreed to mull it over overnight.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

Now that I’ve had time to mull it over, I see they’ve got enough problems without adding me into the mix.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Reaching the course began with an 80-minute ferry from Oban to the Isle of Mull, then 75 minutes driving one-lane roads across the island to take a 15-minute ferry trip to Iona.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

He and his “Fernwood” sidekick Fred Willard played one of primetime’s first gay couples on “Roseanne,” and Mull guest-hosted “The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson” 30 times.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

They then found an oyster bed that had not been previously documented, as well as confirming oysters could have been present at other sites on Mull and Islay.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Martin Mull was best known to audiences for playing comedic characters like Col.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

Mrs. Mull poked her pointy face out from under the brim of her yellow sunbonnet.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

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Related Words

• contemplate
• deliberate
• examine
• ponder
• weigh

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