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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

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

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

In the meantime, it doesn’t hurt to mull over other ways to help foster an appreciation for delayed gratification — in ways you’d be able to see and appreciate while you’re alive.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

And so, some still mull just scuttling the agency.

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026

In Congress and other positions, Becerra earned a reputation as a cerebral, analytical politician who would fully commit to his positions after taking time to mull them through.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

Lawmakers in Albany mull a tax credit for New York state pets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

Sitting down on a steel cot across from the stove to mull over this eerie tableau, I encounter evidence of McCandless’s presence wherever my vision rests.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

Mull, who died in 2024, received his master of fine arts degree in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1967.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

Another musician, Colin MacIntyre of Mull Historical Society, is developing a show about the Battle of Culloden.

From BBC ● May 24, 2026

However an "ongoing technical issue" with the ship's starboard main engine means an amended timetable - using the MV Isle of Mull - will run through to the end of Wednesday.

From BBC ● Apr. 7, 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

Related Words

• contemplate
• deliberate
• examine
• ponder
• weigh