mingle

mingle — verb

1. when separate things come together and join while each keeps its own character —

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

when separate things come together and join while each keeps its own character — like two different smells that mix in a kitchen, or emotions that rise together in one person.

Example

The aroma of grilled fish mingled with the scent of lemons in the open kitchen.

intransitive pattern: [thing] mingled with [thing]

Asher mingled a few drops of lavender oil with warm water before his bath.

transitive pattern: mingle [A] with [B]

Common collocations
  • mingle with
  • mingle together
  • mingle [A] with [B]
  • mingled feelings
  • smells mingle
  • sounds mingle
  • colours mingle
Synonyms
  • mix

    more general; can mean thorough blending where the original parts are no longer separate

  • blend

    suggests smooth, harmonious combination, often of similar things

  • combine

    neutral and broad; joining two or more things into one

  • intermingle

    more formal; same meaning as mingle but less common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • separate

    to keep things apart from each other

  • divide

    to split a group into smaller parts

Grammar Patterns

mingle + noun + with + noun

mingle with + noun

Usage Note

Can be used transitively (mingle A with B) or intransitively (A mingles with B). The intransitive pattern is more common. Typical subjects include smells, sounds, colours, flavours, and emotions — things that blend gradually without losing their individual qualities.

Common Mistakes

I mingled the cake batter for ten minutes.
I mixed the cake batter for ten minutes.
'mingle' implies combination without loss of identity, not thorough blending like batter.

2. at a party or similar event, to go from person to person and chat briefly with e

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

at a party or similar event, to go from person to person and chat briefly with each one.

Example

Élise is not comfortable mingling at large business dinners where she knows no one.

negative pattern: not comfortable mingling at [event]

Walid spent the first hour mingling with colleagues he had never met before.

pattern: spend time mingling with [people]

Common collocations
  • mingle with guests
  • mingle at parties
  • mingle freely
  • mingle awkwardly
  • mingle with strangers
  • mingle at a conference
Synonyms
  • socialize

    more general; covers all types of social interaction, not just moving between people

  • circulate

    emphasises moving around the room rather than talking in depth

  • network

    purposeful mingling with a professional or career goal

  • mix

    informal; same meaning as mingle in the social context

Antonyms
  • avoid

    to stay away from people at an event

  • withdraw

    to remove yourself from social interaction

Grammar Patterns

mingle with + noun (people)

mingle at + noun (event)

Usage Note

Always intransitive: the person is the subject and is followed by 'with' + people or 'at' + event. You mingle with people, not 'mingle people'. Frequently used at parties, conferences, weddings, and networking events. Often appears in the continuous form (mingling).

Common Mistakes

I mingled my coworkers at the party.
I mingled with my coworkers at the party.
'mingle' is intransitive in this sense; you always need 'with' before the people.

Word family

  • mingled
    adjectiveB2
  • mingling
    nounB2
  • intermingle
    verbC1
  • commingle
    verbC1
  • unmingled
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

"Mingle" and "mix" are the most informal and interchangeable in social contexts: you can mingle or mix at a party, though "mingle" focuses on moving between people while "mix" can also mean fitting in socially. "Socialize" is broader — it includes any friendly interaction beyond just moving around, such as chatting with one person all evening. "Circulate" specifically means moving around the room rather than staying in one spot; a host might circulate among guests. "Network" adds a professional purpose: you network at a conference to make useful contacts, not just to be friendly. For example: at a wedding, you mingle with relatives at different tables; at a job fair, you network with recruiters; and a shy guest may simply socialize with one friend the whole time rather than circulate.

socialize ↗circulate ↗network ↗mix ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • mingle freely
  • mingle easily
  • mingle awkwardly
  • mingle nervously

Phrases

  • mingle with the crowd
  • mingle with guests
  • mingle at a party
  • mingle at a conference
  • have a chance to mingle

Prepositions

  • mingle with
  • mingle among
  • mingle at

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

"Mingle" comes from Middle English "menglen", a frequentative (repeated-action) form of "mengen" meaning "to mix", which traces back to Old English "mengan" and further to the Proto-Germanic root *mangjaną. This ancient root is also the source of the word "among", which originally meant "in a crowd or mixture". The social sense of moving among people and talking to them developed in the early 1600s, shifting from physical mixing to social interaction.