mingle
Americanverb (used without object)
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mingles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
mingled,
past participle, past
-
mingling
present participle
-
to become mixed, blended, or united.
The herbs and spices mingled to produce an exquisite odor that permeated the house.
-
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)
-
mingles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
mingled,
past participle, past
-
mingling
present participle
-
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
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mingles, two or more single, unrelated adults who live together.
-
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
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minglessimple
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have mingledperfect
-
has mingledperfect
-
am minglingprogressive
-
are minglingprogressive
-
is minglingprogressive
-
have been minglingperfect progressive
-
has been minglingperfect progressive
Past
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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:
Come early to mingle with the cast, in character, of course, who may or may not need your help in deciphering some puzzles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Everything has a chance to mingle before the soup gets diluted.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
But the event also was a chance for billionaire business leaders to mingle with the Chinese dignitaries, top U.S. officials and Trump himself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
A large vehicle-free zone was created over the course of the festival, allowing the crowds to mingle, enjoy street performances and, on a number of occasions, break into impromptu sing-alongs.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Young men and women mingle, eager to enter the labyrinth of hedges and begin the game.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos mingles with other guests including U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
In my perfect version, the yolk breaks over the hot rice and mingles immediately with the lemon zest, becoming a kind of lazy hollandaise.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
As I stroll along the shore, I’m hit by a mix of salty sea air mingles and the scent of coconut sunblock a beachgoer is applying.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
This was one of those highly orchestrated campaign stops where the president mingles with voters.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2024
Music playing from the different rooms mingles unpleasantly in Gogol’s ears.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
At a Sunday evening gala inside a floating art museum on the Seine River, industry executives mingled over drinks and a live jazz band while locals passed by on runs along the water.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
Both being successful musicians, it wouldn't be surprising if they have mingled together at events over the years.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Entertainment and business figures such as actor Alfre Woodard and lawyer Skip Brittenham mingled with prominent L.A. artists, including Ed Moses, Chris Burden and Lita Albuquerque.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
But on Wednesday, as the clink of bottles mingled with chatter from customers, some armed with automatic weapons, the owners were defiant.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
And then she snorted, a snort of mingled amusement and irritation.
From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman
I often opt for a more casual birthday celebration, as I’ve always felt that group dinners in restaurants are overrated and overpriced, and they’re also not optimal for mingling.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
The researchers describe this pattern as "increased compartment mingling."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
“They are not rowdy at all. They travel with the idea of understanding the culture, mingling with the locals, buying local arts and crafts,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Fans sit on plastic chairs arranged on the sandy floor, their chatter mingling with the hum of a worn-out generator.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
Harry suddenly realized that there were tears on his face mingling with the sweat.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
