mellow
gb/mˈɛloʊ/ us/mˈɛloʊ/
B2
English
~ 9200
nyugodt, ellazult, lágy, érett, beérett, megenyhül, enyhül, enyhít, lágyít
B2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone]/[something] is/feels [mellow]
After the meeting, everyone was in a mellow mood and stayed to chat.
A megbeszélés után mindenki nyugodt, oldott hangulatban volt, és ott maradt beszélgetni.
He used to be very strict, but these days he's pretty mellow.
Régen nagyon szigorú volt, de mostanában már elég nyugodt és laza.
The party had a mellow vibe, with people talking quietly and laughing softly.
I'm feeling too mellow tonight to go to a loud club.
Her usually mellow nature helped calm the angry customer.
Learner examples
I feel mellow after a long hot bath.
Egy hosszú, forró fürdő után ellazultnak érzem magam.
He is a mellow guy who does not get angry easily.
Nyugodt fickó, aki nem gurul könnyen dühbe.
We had a mellow evening at home with some soft music.
The teacher was very mellow on the last day of class.
Yoga makes me feel calm and mellow.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'mellow' can mean 'sad' or 'depressed'. It usually means calm and pleasantly relaxed, not unhappy. They also sometimes say *'mellow down'*; the natural phrase is usually 'calm down' or 'mellow out'.
Meaning
calm, relaxed, and gentle
Collocations
mellow mood
|feel mellow
|mellow personality
|mellow attitude
|mellow afternoon
|stay mellow
Synonyms
relaxed (More general; does not always carry the warm, pleasant feeling that 'mellow' often suggests.)
|
easygoing (Focuses on a person's character of not worrying or getting upset; 'mellow' can describe temporary mood as well.)
|
laid-back (Informal; suggests being very relaxed or unconcerned, sometimes more casual than 'mellow'.)
Antonyms
tense (Describes someone or a situation that is tight, nervous, or full of stress, opposite of mellow calmness.)
|
agitated (Shows emotional disturbance or upset, the opposite of mellow peace and ease.)
Themes
emotions
|personality
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Calm and relaxed in a nice way, not tense, angry, or excited.
Calm, relaxed, and gentle, often in a pleasant and friendly way, without tension or harshness.
B2
2
lágy
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] has [mellow] [sound/color/light/taste]
Soft lamps gave the restaurant a warm, mellow light.
A lámpák meleg, lágy fénnyel töltötték meg az éttermet.
I like listening to mellow jazz when I work.
Szeretek lágy jazzt hallgatni munka közben.
The walls were painted in mellow earth tones that made the room feel cozy.
The sauce had a mellow flavor after it simmered for hours.
Her voice has grown deeper and more mellow over the years.
Learner examples
We sat in the mellow light of the evening.
Az este lágy fényében ültünk.
He played some mellow music while we ate dinner.
Lágy zenét játszott, miközben vacsoráztunk.
The wine had a mellow taste, not too strong.
I like mellow colors on my bedroom walls.
The singer has a mellow voice that is easy to listen to.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'mellow' with 'weak' or 'boring'. 'Mellow' usually means pleasantly soft and smooth, not lacking in quality or interest.
Meaning
soft, smooth, not harsh (sensory)
Collocations
mellow lighting
|mellow colors
|mellow sound
|mellow flavor
|mellow jazz
|mellow tone
Synonyms
soft (Very general; does not always include the idea of pleasant richness that 'mellow' suggests.)
|
smooth (Focuses on lack of roughness; 'mellow' also suggests warmth and pleasantness.)
|
rich (Emphasizes depth and fullness; 'mellow' adds the idea that it is not overpowering or harsh.)
Antonyms
harsh (Suggests sound, light, or taste that is rough or unpleasant to the senses, the opposite of 'mellow'.)
|
sharp (Implies strong or biting qualities in taste or sound, which 'mellow' specifically lacks.)
Themes
arts
|food
|sensory
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Soft and smooth in sound, color, light, or taste; not bright, loud, or sharp.
Soft, smooth, and pleasant in sound, color, light, or taste, without sharpness or harsh intensity.
B2
3
Usage pattern:
[food/drink] is [mellow]
The wine was wonderfully mellow after ten years in the cellar.
A bor tíz év pincei érlelés után csodálatosan beérett és lágy lett.
Leave the pears out for another day or two so they get nice and mellow.
Hagyd még kint a körtéket egy-két napig, hogy szépen beérjenek.
This cheddar is too young; it will be much more mellow next year.
The long, slow roasting gave the garlic a sweet, mellow flavor.
He prefers a mellow whiskey with a gentle finish.
Learner examples
The bananas are yellow and mellow now.
A banánok most már sárgák és érettek.
This cheese is very mellow and smooth.
Ez a sajt nagyon beérett és lágy.
After many years, the wine tastes mellow and rich.
Slow cooking makes the onions soft and mellow.
The fruit was sweet and mellow in the summer sun.
Meaning
fully ripe with smooth flavor
Collocations
mellow wine
|mellow cheese
|mellow fruit
|mellow aroma
|mellow whiskey
|nicely mellow
Synonyms
ripe (Focuses on being ready to eat; 'mellow' also emphasizes smooth, pleasant flavor.)
|
mature (Often used for wine and cheese; more technical, while 'mellow' is more about the smooth taste.)
Antonyms
unripe (Describes fruit or similar foods that are not ready to eat and usually have a hard or sharp taste, opposite of 'mellow'.)
|
sharp (For cheese or wine, suggests a biting, strong taste instead of a smooth mellow one.)
Themes
food
|cooking
|food_drink
Definition
Used for fruit, wine, cheese, etc. that is fully ready to eat or drink and has a smooth, rich taste.
Describes fruit, wine, cheese, or similar foods that are fully ripe or aged so that their flavor is well developed, smooth, and pleasant.
VERB
C1
4
Usage pattern:
[someone]/[attitude] mellows (often with age/over time)
He used to be very impatient, but he's mellowed a lot with age.
Régen nagyon türelmetlen volt, de az évek során sokat megenyhült.
Her views on parenting mellowed after she had children.
A gyerekneveléssel kapcsolatos nézetei enyhültek, miután gyerekei születtek.
The critics have mellowed toward the director over the years.
As she mellowed, she became more open to other people's ideas.
Their relationship has mellowed into a warm, steady friendship.
Learner examples
My father has mellowed with age.
Apám az évek múlásával sokat megenyhült.
She was very strict, but she mellowed after a few years.
Nagyon szigorú volt, de pár év után megenyhült.
His anger slowly mellowed, and he could talk again.
Teachers often mellow when they have their own kids.
Over time, his hard words mellowed into kind advice.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use 'mellow' only in the present continuous (*'he is mellowing now'*) for a short moment. It is usually used for slower, longer changes, often with expressions like 'with age' or 'over time'.
Meaning
become calmer or less strict
Collocations
mellow with age
|mellow over time
|mellow a little
|mellow toward [someone]
|really mellowed lately
Synonyms
soften (Can refer to physical or emotional change; 'mellow' is more about personality and mood becoming easier and warmer.)
|
calm down (Often describes a quick change in emotion; 'mellow' is usually slower and more long-term.)
Antonyms
harden (In this context, means becoming stricter or less sympathetic, the opposite of mellowing in attitude.)
|
toughen (Suggests becoming more severe or less gentle, unlike mellowing, which moves toward kindness and ease.)
Themes
emotions
|personality
|life_stages
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To slowly become more calm or kind and not so strict or intense, often as you get older.
To become calmer, gentler, or less strict, often gradually as a result of age or experience.
VERB
C1
5
Usage pattern:
to mellow [someone]/[something]
Time has mellowed their anger into understanding.
Az idő enyhítette a haragjukat, míg végül megértés lett belőle.
A little cream will mellow the sharpness of the sauce.
Egy kis tejszín ellágyítja a szósz élességét.
The new curtains helped mellow the harsh light in the room.
Traveling alone for a year really mellowed her.
They used acoustic instruments to mellow the overall sound of the album.
Learner examples
Time mellowed the pain of his loss.
Az idő enyhítette a vesztesége miatti fájdalmát.
Sugar can mellow the taste of strong coffee.
A cukor lágyíthatja az erős kávé ízét.
Soft music mellowed the tense mood in the room.
Living in the country mellowed him a lot.
The warm lights mellowed the cold office space.
Meaning
make something calmer or softer
Collocations
mellow the mood
|mellow the flavor
|mellow the tone
|mellow the lighting
|travel mellowed him
|time mellowed their anger
Synonyms
soothe (Focuses on comforting or easing pain or worry; 'mellow' is more about making things gentle and easy-going overall.)
|
soften (Very close in meaning; 'soften' is broader, while 'mellow' often carries a warm, pleasant feeling.)
Antonyms
intensify (Means to make stronger or more extreme, the opposite of mellowing something down.)
|
inflame (Describes making feelings or conflicts stronger and more heated, the reverse of mellowing them.)
Themes
emotions
|arts
|food
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make a person more relaxed, or to make a sound, color, or taste softer and not so strong.
To cause a person to become more relaxed or a sound, color, taste, or effect to become softer and less intense.
Grammar
Dictionary form
mellow
IPA
GB/mˈɛloʊ/
US/mˈɛloʊ/
Syllables & stress
mel - low (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (mel)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: mellow
- Comparative: mellower
- Superlative: mellowest
Verb
- Base: mellow
- 3rd Person Singular: mellows
- Present Participle: mellowing
- Past: mellowed
Word family
Forms
mellows
verb
mellowing
verb
mellowed
verb
mellower
adjective
mellowest
adjective
Related words
mellowness
noun
Expressions
in a mellow mood
1/ˈɪn ə mˈɛloʊ mˈud/
fixed phrase
feeling calm and relaxed
Feeling calm, relaxed, and happy in a quiet way.
Examples
- He was in a mellow mood after the long holiday.
- Everyone seemed to be in a mellow mood at the small dinner party.
- The soft music put me in a mellow mood.
keep it mellow
1/kˈip ˈɪt mˈɛloʊ/
fixed phrase
informal
stay calm and easygoing
To stay calm, relaxed, and not too loud, wild, or serious.
Examples
- Let's keep it mellow tonight and just watch a movie.
- The host asked everyone to keep it mellow because the neighbors were sleeping.
- We decided to keep it mellow and have a quiet picnic by the lake.
mellow out
1/mˈɛloʊ ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
become or make very relaxed
To become very calm and relaxed, or to make someone else calm and relaxed, often after feeling stressed or excited.
Examples
- You need to mellow out and stop worrying about every little detail.
- The weekend at the beach really helped me mellow out.
- A quiet walk in the park can mellow out even the most stressed worker.
mellow vibes
1/mˈɛloʊ vˈaɪbz/
fixed phrase
informal
calm, relaxed atmosphere
A calm, relaxed, and pleasant feeling or atmosphere in a place or situation.
Examples
- This café has such mellow vibes; I love working here.
- We just wanted some mellow vibes, so we put on soft music and lit a candle.
- The beach bar gave off mellow vibes with its slow music and soft lights.
mellow with age
1/mˈɛloʊ wˈɪθ ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
become calmer as you age
To become more calm, kind, and less strict as you grow older.
Examples
- People say he has mellowed with age and is much easier to work with now.
- She used to be very hard on herself, but she's mellowed with age.
- Many parents mellow with age after raising their first child.
nice and mellow
1/nˈaɪs ˈænd mˈɛloʊ/
fixed phrase
informal
pleasantly very mellow
Very mellow in a pleasant way, often used for taste, music, light, or mood.
Examples
- Cook the sauce slowly until the flavor is nice and mellow.
- The lights were nice and mellow, perfect for a quiet evening.
- The music was nice and mellow, so we could still talk easily.