blend
gb/blˈɛnd/ us/blˈɛnd/
B1
English
~ 6400
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
mix things so they combine
to mix things so they come together as one smooth thing
Usage pattern:
to blend [things] / to blend [A] and/with [B]
Common mistake:
Learners often use only 'mix' and do not use 'blend'. 'Blend' is preferred when the result is smooth or the parts can no longer be clearly seen, such as in soups, smoothies, or colors. Another mistake is saying 'blend up' like 'mix up'; usually English speakers just say 'blend it' or 'blend it until smooth'.
Synonyms
mix (More general and common; does not always suggest a smooth or even result the way 'blend' often does.)
Antonyms
separate (Means to keep or move things apart instead of combining them.)
Collocations
blend the ingredients
|blend the colors
|blend the flavors
|blend until smooth
|carefully blended
|blend thoroughly
Themes
daily life
|food
|art
|science
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Blend the ingredients in a large bowl until the batter is smooth.
- She blended different shades of blue to create the perfect sky color.
- Use a hand blender to blend the soup until it is completely smooth.
- The DJ blended the two tracks so well that the audience didn’t notice the change.
- Oil and water do not blend easily without an emulsifier.
Learner examples
- Blend the milk and fruit to make a smoothie.
- She blended the paint to get a soft green color.
- Blend the soup before you serve it.
- He blended the spices before cooking the meat.
- The artist blended red and yellow to make orange.
Verb
B2
action
2
combine elements so they fit well
to put different ideas, styles, or things together so they go well with each other
Usage pattern:
to blend [abstract thing] and/with [abstract thing]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'match' instead of 'blend' for ideas and styles (e.g. 'The film matches comedy and drama'). 'Match' is used more for things that look or go together one-to-one, while 'blend' suggests they are mixed into one unified thing.
Synonyms
combine (Broad and neutral; does not always suggest the smooth, harmonious mix that 'blend' implies.)
Antonyms
clash (Used when styles, colors, or ideas do not go well together and feel unpleasant or conflicting.)
Collocations
blend tradition and modernity
|blend work and family
|blend different styles
|blend theory with practice
|seamlessly blend
|blend genres
Themes
art
|culture
|business
|daily life
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The movie blends comedy and drama to tell a powerful story.
- Their house blends modern design with traditional materials.
- The course blends online learning with face-to-face workshops.
- This band blends jazz and hip-hop to create a unique sound.
- The restaurant blends local ingredients with international cooking techniques.
Learner examples
- The teacher blends games and study in her class.
- This program blends work and travel.
- His music blends rock and pop.
- The city blends old buildings with new ones.
- The book blends history with personal stories.
Verb
B2
action
3
be similar and not noticeable
to look or sound like the things around you so people do not see or notice you
Usage pattern:
to blend in (with [something]); to blend into [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may say 'mix in the crowd' instead of 'blend in with the crowd'. For this meaning, use the full phrase 'blend in' or 'blend into', usually followed by 'with the crowd', 'with the background', etc.
Synonyms
merge (Suggests joining together; does not always include the idea of being unnoticed, which 'blend in' often implies.)
Antonyms
stand out (Means to be very easy to see or notice, the opposite of blending in.)
Collocations
blend in with the crowd
|blend into the background
|blend in perfectly
|colors that blend together
|blend in with surroundings
|blend into the landscape
Themes
daily life
|appearance
|nature
Examples
- He chose neutral clothes so he could blend in with the crowd.
- The new building blends into the hillside instead of standing out.
- The deer’s brown coat helps it blend in with the forest.
- Soft background music blends in so you hardly notice it.
- The edges of the painting blend into the wall color, creating a calm effect.
Learner examples
- She is shy and likes to blend in at school.
- The house blends in with the trees.
- The soldiers’ clothes help them blend in with the sand.
- I do not want to blend in; I want to stand out.
- The colors blend into each other at the top of the picture.
Noun
B1
entity
4
mixture used as one product
a mix of different things, like types of coffee or tea, that is made and sold as one product
Usage pattern:
a blend of [things]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'brand' instead of 'blend' when talking about coffee or tea. 'Brand' is the company name; 'blend' is the mixture of types or flavors.
Synonyms
mixture (Very general; 'blend' often suggests a carefully chosen or commercial mix, especially for drinks or foods.)
Antonyms
pure (Describes something made of only one substance or type, not a mixture.)
Collocations
coffee blend
|herbal blend
|tea blend
|special blend
|unique blend
|custom blend
Themes
food
|business
|daily life
|food_drink
Examples
- This coffee is a rich blend of beans from three countries.
- She bought a special herbal blend to help her sleep.
- The chef created a new spice blend for the restaurant’s signature dish.
- We offer a house blend and a dark roast blend.
- The perfume is a delicate blend of jasmine and citrus.
Learner examples
- I like this coffee blend because it is strong.
- He made a blend of different teas.
- The shop sells a special spice blend.
- This tea is a blend of fruit and flowers.
- She uses a blend of oils on her skin.
Noun
B2
entity
5
combination of qualities or styles
a mix of different qualities or styles in one thing
Usage pattern:
a blend of [qualities/styles]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'combination' or 'mixture' in every case. These are correct, but 'blend' often sounds better when the different parts feel smooth and natural together. Also, avoid saying 'blend between A and B'; say 'a blend of A and B'.
Synonyms
mix (Very general; 'blend' often suggests the parts work especially well together.)
Antonyms
separation (Suggests that different qualities or groups do not come together but stay apart.)
Collocations
perfect blend of
|interesting blend of
|subtle blend of
|unusual blend of
|blend of cultures
|blend of humor and drama
Themes
art
|culture
|business
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The festival is a lively blend of music, food, and art.
- Her style is a unique blend of elegance and comfort.
- The training offers a practical blend of theory and hands-on experience.
- The city has a rich blend of cultures and languages.
- This app is a clever blend of a game and a learning tool.
Learner examples
- The movie is a blend of action and love.
- The town is a blend of old and new.
- His job is a blend of office work and travel.
- The course is a blend of reading and speaking.
- Their music is a blend of many styles.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
6
word made from two words
a word that is made from parts of two other words, like "brunch" from "breakfast" and "lunch"
Usage pattern:
a blend of [word] and [word]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'blend' (this linguistic term) with 'compound'. A compound uses whole words put together (like 'toothbrush'), while a blend uses only parts of the words (like 'brunch').
Synonyms
portmanteau (More formal and less common; often used in linguistic or literary contexts.)
Antonyms
simple word (A basic word not formed by joining parts of other words.)
Collocations
word blend
|linguistic blend
|create a blend
|common blend
|a blend of 'X' and 'Y'
Themes
language
|education
|communication
Examples
- The word "smog" is a blend of "smoke" and "fog".
- Modern English has many blends, such as "infotainment".
- Teachers sometimes use blends like "edutainment" to make lessons fun.
Learner examples
- The word "brunch" is a blend of two words.
- "Smog" is a blend of "smoke" and "fog".
- We learned about blends in our English class.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
7
group of consonants said together
in reading and phonics, two or more consonant letters together where you can still hear each sound, like "st" in "stop"
Usage pattern:
a consonant blend
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes mix up 'blend' and 'digraph'. In a consonant blend you can still hear each sound ("s" + "t"), but in a digraph two letters make one new sound (like "sh").
Synonyms
consonant cluster (More general linguistics term; 'blend' is especially used in early reading and phonics teaching.)
Antonyms
single consonant (Refers to just one consonant sound instead of several joined together.)
Collocations
consonant blend
|initial blend
|final blend
|practice blends
|teach blends
Themes
education
|language
|communication
Examples
- In the word "blend", "bl" is a consonant blend.
- Children often find it hard to read words with consonant blends at the beginning.
- The teacher wrote several blends on the board for the class to practice.
Learner examples
- "st" in "stop" is a consonant blend.
- We learned new blends in our phonics class.
- The blend "pl" is in the word "play".
Grammar
Dictionary form
blend
IPA
GB/blˈɛnd/
US/blˈɛnd/
Syllables & stress
blend (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (blend)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: blend
- Plural: blends
Verb
- Base: blend
- 3rd Person Singular: blends
- Present Participle: blending
- Past: blended, blent
- Past Participle: blent
Word family
Forms
blends
noun
blending
verb
blended
verb
blent
verb
Core family
blender
noun A2
Related words
blendable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
unblended
adjective
Highlights
- Irregular past participle: blent Verb
Expressions
a blend of
1/ə blˈɛnd əv/
fixed phrase
a mixture of named parts
used before naming the parts that are mixed together in something
Examples
- The meal was a blend of local and international dishes.
- Her speech was a blend of facts, stories, and jokes.
blend in
1/blˈɛnd ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
not be noticed by being similar
to look or act like the people or things around you so that people do not notice you much
Examples
- As a new student, she tried to blend in by wearing the same style of clothes as her classmates.
- The small gray bird blended in with the rocks on the beach.
blend into
1/blˈɛnd ˈɪntu/
phrasal verb
gradually merge with surroundings
to change so that you become part of something and it is hard to see where one thing ends and the other begins
Examples
- The dark sky blended into the sea at the horizon.
- The new extension blends into the old part of the house very well.
blend together
1/blˈɛnd təɡˈɛðɚ/
phrasal verb
mix things into one whole
to mix different things so that they join and become one whole thing
Examples
- The flavors in this dish blend together beautifully.
- Over time, the memories of that summer all blended together.
perfect blend of
1/pˈɚfɛkt blˈɛnd əv/
fixed phrase
especially good combination of things
used to say that different parts are mixed in a way that is especially good
Examples
- The tour was the perfect blend of learning and fun.
- This job offers a perfect blend of freedom and security.