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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

I want to mull over this question of what a good execution would even look like.

From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026

As the Dodgers mull potential lineup changes for Game 3 of the NLDS, manager Dave Roberts said he is “open” to moving Shohei Ohtani lower in the batting order.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

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

She even suggests assembling a “question collection” in the workplace, to which employees would contribute unknowns for their co-workers to mull over.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Turtle paused in a pretense of letting the heirs mull over her last words, trying to figure out what to do next.

From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin

The following year he set out for Scotland, this time to photograph all the surviving phone boxes on the Isle of Mull.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Many of the Mull fans interviewed are still with us—Steve Martin, for instance, a solidly kindred spirit and a major supporter of Mull’s painting.

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, best known as an actor and comedian, admits he’s not always taken as seriously as he’d like when he tells people he is also a painter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

Avrion Mitchison had invited me to Carradale, the home of his parents, on the Mull of Kintyre.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

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Related Words

• contemplate
• deliberate
• examine
• ponder
• weigh

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