mellow

[mel-oh]

See more synonyms for mellow on Thesaurus.com

adjective, mel·low·er, mel·low·est.

soft, sweet, and full-flavored from ripeness, as fruit.
well-matured, as wines.
soft and rich, as sound, tones, color, or light.

made gentle and compassionate by age or maturity; softened.
friable or loamy, as soil.
mildly and pleasantly intoxicated or high.
pleasantly agreeable; free from tension, discord, etc.: a mellow neighborhood.
affably relaxed; easygoing; genial: a mellow teacher who is very popular with her students.

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become mellow.

noun

Slang. a state, atmosphere, or mood of ease and gentle relaxation.

Verb Phrases

mellow out, Slang.
1. to become detached from worry, strife, stress, etc.; relax: After final exams let's go down to the beach and mellow out.
2. to make more relaxed, agreeable, workable, etc.; soften or smooth: Chopin really mellows me out when I'm feeling tense.

Origin of mellow

1400–50; late Middle English mel(o)we, alteration (perhaps by dissimilation, in phrase meruw fruit) of Middle English meruw, Old English meru soft

Related formsmel·low·ly, adverbmel·low·ness, nouno·ver·mel·low, adjectiveo·ver·mel·low·ly, adverbo·ver·mel·low·ness, nounun·mel·low, adjectiveun·mel·lowed, adjective

Synonyms for mellow

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1. See ripe. 9. develop, mature, improve.

Antonyms for mellow

1. immature, raw, green. 3. harsh.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for mellowed

developed, matured, ripe

Examples from the Web for mellowed

Contemporary Examples of mellowed

But a decade had passed, and Cosby had mellowed, and when he was offered the prize for a third time in 2009, he accepted.
Why Comedians Still Think Bill Cosby Is a Genius
Mark Whitaker
October 5, 2014
In the glass, the color is mellowed by the oak and is a mossier green.
The Absinthe-Minded Porteños of Buenos Aires
Jeff Campagna
March 10, 2014
Now, at the age of 46, he has been mellowed by an all-access pass to literary America, winning most of the prizes around.
Confessions of a Blasphemer: Sherman Alexie Talks New Book, Indian Humor and More
Jane Ciabattari
October 17, 2012
But for anyone who dreamed that Benedict had mellowed with age, the decision to hang the LCWR out to dry is a rude awakening.
Return of the Rottweiler: Pope Benedict Cracks Down on Women’s Rights
Peter Popham
April 25, 2012
But time and experience have mellowed the 54-year-old Oldman and sharpened his acting.
‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’: Oscar Nominees Gary Oldman and Peter Straughan
Lorenza Muñoz
February 15, 2012

Historical Examples of mellowed

It is some weeks since they entered Paris, and spring has mellowed into summer.
Night and Morning, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Even in Boston, mellowed though it was by culture, the classical was at a discount.
Heroes of the Telegraph
J. Munro
The charms of Imogen had been in turn heightened with joy, and mellowed with distress.
Imogen
William Godwin
And I found that it could be baited and mellowed only by a liberal tip.
The Book of Khalid
Ameen Rihani
Even the late experience with Mark was mellowed by the present delight.
Janet of the Dunes
Harriet T. Comstock

British Dictionary definitions for mellowed

mellow

adjective

(esp of fruits) full-flavoured; sweet; ripe
(esp of wines) well-matured
(esp of colours or sounds) soft or rich
kind-hearted, esp through maturity or old age
genial, as through the effects of alcohol
(of soil) soft and loamy

verb

to make or become mellow; soften; mature
(foll by out) to become calm and relaxed or (esp of a drug) to have a calming or relaxing effect on (someone)

Derived Formsmellowly, adverbmellowness, noun

Word Origin for mellow

C15: perhaps from Old English meru soft (as through ripeness)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for mellowed

mellow

adj.

mid-15c., melwe "soft, sweet, juicy" (of ripe fruit), perhaps related to melowe, variant of mele "ground grain" (see meal (2)), influenced by Middle English merow "soft, tender," from Old English mearu. Meaning "slightly drunk" is from 1680s. Mellow yellow "banana peel smoked in an effort to get high" is from 1967. Related: Mellowly; mellowness.

mellow

1570s, from mellow (adj.). Related: Mellowed; mellowing.