mingle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to become mixed, blended, or united.
The herbs and spices mingled to produce an exquisite odor that permeated the house.
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to associate, mix, or interact in company with others, as at a social event.
At the party she mingled with some interesting people.
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to join or take part with others, as in activities or causes.
I used to like his blog, but he’s started to mingle with bigots.
verb (used with object)
-
to mix or combine; put together in a mixture; blend.
During much of history, noble families mingled their bloodlines and forged new alliances.
- Synonyms:
- intermix, intermingle, commingle
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to unite, join, or conjoin.
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to associate in company.
a hostess who mingles diplomats with executives.
-
to form by mixing; compound; concoct.
noun
-
mingles, two or more single, unrelated adults who live together.
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a social event at which people associate, mix, or interact with others.
The Chamber of Commerce hosted a mingle for the town's small business owners to kick off their Buy Local campaign.
verb
-
to mix or cause to mix
-
to come into close association
Synonym Usage
See mix.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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minglesimple
-
minglessimple
-
have mingledperfect
-
has mingledperfect
-
am minglingprogressive
-
are minglingprogressive
-
is minglingprogressive
-
have been minglingperfect progressive
-
has been minglingperfect progressive
Past
-
mingledsimple
-
had mingledperfect
-
was minglingprogressive
-
were minglingprogressive
-
had been minglingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of mingle
First recorded in 1425–75; Late Middle English menglen, frequentative of meng(en) “to mix,” Old English mengan; cognate with Dutch, German mengen ) + -(e)len; see origin at -le
Explanation
When things mingle, that means they mix together while still retaining their individual qualities. At a club you may hear laughter that seems to mingle with the sound of the band playing in the background. Mingle often describes abstract things, like smells or tastes or feelings. The look on your face may mingle compassion and horror when you taste your brother’s attempt at making Key Lime Pie. Mingle can also describe what you do at a social gathering when you move around a lot and talk to many different people. If you’re an outgoing person, at a party you probably like to mingle and talk to friends and also chat with new people.
Vocabulary lists containing mingle
Bless Me, Ultima
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Let's Go Caroling, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Smoked stuffed peppers are another great option: Prepare the par-cooked rice-and-meat filling ahead, smoke a few tomatoes for the sauce, then let everything finish together while you mingle.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
Loads of the lovely and lauded made their way along the red carpet in a Rose Parade of fashion to mingle among an exhibit celebrating all forms of the human body.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026
Later, Charles will mingle with business leaders, including investors and entrepreneurs, at an event highlighting the transatlantic economic ties.
From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026
He instructed Herrmann to write a cue that would mingle with Day’s singing, but in the final version her vocals carry the scene entirely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
“Feel free to mingle with one another. Don’t forget: only you can put the friend in friendly competition. There’s a refreshments table on that back wall, starring my famous sweet tea, of course.”
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
The chicken, shredded tender, mingles with spaghetti broken into thirds, while cream-of-mushroom soup pulls everything into a glossy, velvety tangle.
From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2025
“In California, everybody mingles and mixes,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 24, 2025
This was one of those highly orchestrated campaign stops where the president mingles with voters.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2024
Spanning decades and traversing the ancient Mediterranean like some deeply misbegotten Carnival Cruise, this Shakespeare play mingles comedy, tragedy and Christian allegory.
From New York Times ● Feb. 26, 2024
Music floats out of some, giggles burst from others, and the scent of sweet pastries mingles with the nectar of flowers.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Social problems and public anger toward the government mingled with soccer-induced anxiety.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
The steady pulsing of milking machines mingled with a thumping musical beat as McAfee marched down the rows, pointing to their light pink udders.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
Several fans mingled Wednesday by a subway stop near Madison Square Garden that city officials have painted blue and orange to honor the Knicks.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
Those ideas were made manifest in lavish PR material conjuring up fantastical landscapes that attracted reams of coverage that mingled awe and derision.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
The great creatures and their greater shadows, with a mingled roar or squawk of triumph, flung themselves upon him.
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
The design team removed about 90% of the plants that used to pack the area to maximize space for dancing and mingling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
His videos show elderly passengers mingling around the buffet table.
From Barron's ● May 6, 2026
Before signing a lease and mingling money, here are four crucial money conversations to have:
From MarketWatch ● May 5, 2026
This week Bezos was among the guests mingling with Trump at a White House state dinner honoring King Charles III.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
Clouds of steaming mist arose from the woodland floor, mingling with the golden shafts slanting down through the trees.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
