mull

1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈməl How to pronounce mull (audio)
mulled; mulling; mulls
Synonyms of mullnext

transitive verb

1
: to grind or mix thoroughly : pulverize
mull a portion of the pigment with the oil— H. J. Wolfe
2
: to consider at length : ponder
—often used with over
mulled over his choices
It's a fine offer, but we need time to mull it over.

intransitive verb

: meditate, ponder
all his talk of mulling and weighing and balancing was vacillation— J. P. Marquand

mull

2 of 4

verb (2)

mulled; mulling; mulls

transitive verb

: to heat, sweeten, and flavor (a beverage, such as wine or cider) with spices

mull

3 of 4

noun (1)

: a soft fine sheer fabric of cotton, silk, or rayon

mull

4 of 4

noun (2)

1
: friable forest humus that forms a layer of mixed organic matter and mineral soil and merges gradually into the mineral soil beneath
2
: a finely powdered solid especially in a suspension

Synonyms

Verb (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of mull in a Sentence

Verb (1) the dentist was in the habit of mulling the mercury amalgam in the palm of his hand
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
Mexico, too, committed 10,000 Mexican National Guard troops to its border with the U.S., imposed new duties on foreign inputs for its apparel supply chain, and is mulling targeting China with wide-ranging tariffs at the behest of the Trump administration. — Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 4 Mar. 2025 The brand is mulling a dedicated menswear store in New York. — Joelle Diderich, WWD, 4 Mar. 2025 In this new age of the Defenders on Disney+, the Marvel team is also mulling plans to bring back some of Matt Murdock's cohorts, namely Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones, Mike Colter's Luke Cage, and Finn Jones' Danny Rand/Iron Fist. — Nick Romano, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025 Merz and allied leaders are mulling the formation of a new European defense collective that doesn’t depend on U.S. support, possibly signaling the end of NATO after nearly 80 years. — David Axe, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mull

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from mul, mol dust, probably from Middle Dutch; akin to Old English melu meal — more at meal

Verb (2)

origin unknown

Noun (1)

by shortening & alteration from mulmul muslin, from Hindi malmal

Noun (2)

Danish muld, from Old Norse mold dust, soil; akin to Old High German molta dust, soil — more at mold entry 5

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1618, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1778, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mull was in the 15th century

Rhymes for mull

See All Rhymes for mull

Browse Nearby Words

mull
Mull
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Cite this Entry

“Mull.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mull. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

mull

1 of 2 verb
ˈməl How to pronounce mull (audio)
: to think about slowly and carefully : ponder
mull over an idea

mull

2 of 2 verb
: to sweeten, spice, and heat
mulled wine
Etymology

Verb

Middle English mullen "to grind up or mix thoroughly," from mul, mol "dust"

Verb

origin unknown

Medical Definition

mull

1 of 2 transitive verb
ˈməl How to pronounce mull (audio)
: to grind or mix thoroughly (as in a mortar) : pulverize
the alloy, after removal from the amalgamator, was mulled in the palm of the hand— Journal of American Dental Association

mull

2 of 2 noun
1
: a soft fine sheer fabric of cotton, silk, or rayon
2
: an ointment of high melting point intended to be spread on muslin or mull and used like a plaster
zinc mull

Geographical Definition

Mull

geographical name

ˈməl How to pronounce Mull (audio)
island of western Scotland in the Inner Hebrides area 351 square miles (913 square kilometers), population 1499

More from Merriam-Webster on mull

Nglish: Translation of mull for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mull

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