blend

1 of 2

verb

ˈblend How to pronounce blend (audio)
blended also blent ˈblent How to pronounce blend (audio) ; blending
Synonyms of blendnext

transitive verb

1
: mix
especially : to combine or associate so that the separate constituents or the line of demarcation cannot be distinguished
2
: to prepare by thoroughly intermingling different varieties or grades

intransitive verb

1
a
: to mingle intimately or unobtrusively
b
: to combine into an integrated whole
2
: to produce a harmonious effect
blendable
ˈblen-də-bəl How to pronounce blend (audio)
adjective

blend

2 of 2

noun

1
: something produced by blending: such as
a
: a product prepared by blending
b
: a word (such as brunch) produced by combining other words or parts of words
2
: a group of two or more consecutive consonants that begin a syllable

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for blend

mix, mingle, commingle, blend, merge, coalesce, amalgamate, fuse mean to combine into a more or less uniform whole.

mix may or may not imply loss of each element's identity.

mix the salad greens
mix a drink

mingle usually suggests that the elements are still somewhat distinguishable or separately active.

fear mingled with anticipation in my mind

commingle implies a closer or more thorough mingling.

a sense of duty commingled with a fierce pride drove her

blend implies that the elements as such disappear in the resulting mixture.

blended several teas to create a balanced flavor

merge suggests a combining in which one or more elements are lost in the whole.

in his mind reality and fantasy merged

coalesce implies an affinity in the merging elements and usually a resulting organic unity.

telling details that coalesce into a striking portrait

amalgamate implies the forming of a close union without complete loss of individual identities.

refugees who were readily amalgamated into the community

fuse stresses oneness and indissolubility of the resulting product.

a building in which modernism and classicism are fused

Examples of blend in a Sentence

Verb The music blends traditional and modern melodies. She blends psychology and crime in her new novel. Noun a blend of cream and eggs a blend of traditional and modern melodies
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Simply sweep on your favorite hue with your finger tips and blend at the crease for blurred, yet vivid color in seconds. —Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2024 For example, a midsized digital marketing agency might partner with a boutique UX design firm to offer more comprehensive services, such as creating end-to-end digital experiences that seamlessly blend marketing messaging with user-friendly interfaces. —Amy Packard Berry, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
This blend of global structure and local flexibility empowers organizations to provide impactful well-being programs that resonate across different cultures. —Stephen Sokoler, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 Meanwhile, the back, sides, and sleeves are cut from a stretchy, fleece-weight blend of merino, polyester, and elastane, which afforded testers exceptional movement and breathability while moving fast through the cold. —Frederick Reimers, Outside Online, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for blend 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English blenden, blinden "to mix, blend, intersperse, have dealings (with)," probably borrowed from an Old Norse predecessor of Old Icelandic blend (1st singular), blendr (3rd singular), present tense forms of blanda "to mix in, blend," going back to Germanic *blanda- "to mix, mingle," probably originally "to make murky or obscure" (whence also Old English blandan, blondan, geblandan "to mix, blend," Old Saxon giblandan "blended, mingled," Middle Dutch blanden "to mix," Old High German blantan "to produce, bring about" [Middle High German blanden "to make turbid, mix, bring about"], Gothic sik blandan "to associate with"), o-grade causative from a dialectal Indo-European base *bhlendh- "become murky or cloudy, see poorly" whence also Old Church Slavic blędǫ, blęsti "to chatter, talk nonsense," blǫždǫ, blǫditi "to wander," Polish błąd "error," Lithuanian bleñdžiasi, blę͂stis "to become dark," blandùs "impure, murky, dark"

Note: The verb *bhlendh- is among a group of roots that J. Pokorny (Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch) took as "extensions" (Erweiterungen) from zero-grade of *bhel- "shine" (see bald entry 1). But, aside from semantic issues, this use of extensions is so unconstrained that any phonotactically appropriate verbal base beginning with *bhl- that might have the vaguest figurative connection to light or vision can be claimed as a derivative of *bhel-. If such extensions explain so little, there is little reason to evoke them, and etyma such as *bhlendh- stand on their own. See also blind entry 1, blende, blunder entry 1.

Noun

derivative of blend entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blend was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing blend

Dictionary Entries Near blend

blench

blend

blende

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Blend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blend. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

blend

1 of 2 verb
ˈblend How to pronounce blend (audio)
1
: to mix thoroughly so that the things mixed cannot be recognized
2
: to shade into each other : merge
3
: harmonize sense 2
furniture that blends with the draperies

blend

2 of 2 noun
1
: a thorough mixture
2
: a product (as coffee) prepared by blending

More from Merriam-Webster on blend

Nglish: Translation of blend for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of blend for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 3 Do you have a (flare/flair) for choosing the righ...