mull
1 Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to think about carefully; consider (often followed byover ).
to mull over an idea.
-
to make a mess or failure of.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
verb
verb
noun
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
- mulled adjective
Etymology
Origin of mull1
First recorded in 1815–25; perhaps identical with mull “to crumble, pulverize”; mull 4
Origin of mull2
First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain
Origin of mull3
First recorded in 1670–80; earlier mulmul, from Hindi malmal
Origin of mull4
First recorded in 1400–50; of uncertain origin; possibly from Middle English mollen, mullen, originally, “to moisten, soften by wetting”; moil
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Every president treats the State of the Union as a chance to highlight their wins, less a venue for mulling over controversies or losses.
From Los Angeles Times
He has mulled offering $5,000 “baby bonuses” and creating a “National Medal of Motherhood” for women who have six or more children.
From Los Angeles Times
Downing Street is mulling the idea of meeting an existing spending target earlier than planned at a potential cost of billions of pounds.
From BBC
The company currently uses Nvidia chips for its autonomous-driving system, but is mulling other options to keep lowering expenses and find the best fit for its algorithm, he said.
Citing anonymous sources, the Financial Times reported Wednesday that Kyiv was mulling the possibility of staging a presidential election within the next three months.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
