mellow

mel·low/ˈmɛloʊ/adjective, noun, verb

mellow is spelled M-E-L-L-O-W: 6 letters and 2 syllables (mel·low). It appears 2.1 times per million words in written English, the 19,077th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, mellow means “Soft or tender by reason of ripeness; having a tender pulp” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in mellow?

Letters	6: M-E-L-L-O-W
Syllables	2: mel·low
In writing	2.1 times per million words; the 19,077th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searched	none measured in search
Rhymes with	cello jello bellow violoncello more

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is mellow?

Mellow appears 2.1 times per million words in written English, the 19,077th most frequent word form in the list.

mellow0.0010.010.11101001,00010,000

rarerper million words of written Englishmore common

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce mellow?

UK /ˈmɛləʊ/
US /ˈmɛloʊ/

Mellow has 2 syllables, split mel·low in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-mellow.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

What rhymes with mellow?

7 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as mellow from its last stressed vowel (/ɛloʊ/):

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of mellow

mellower comparative
more mellow comparative
mellowest superlative
most mellow superlative
mellows plural, present, singular, he/she/it
mellowing participle, present
mellowed participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does mellow mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

adjective

1
Soft or tender by reason of ripeness; having a tender pulp.
a mellow apple
2
Matured and smooth, and not acidic, harsh, or sharp.
3
Soft and easily penetrated or worked; not hard or rigid; loamy.
4
Mature; of crops: ready to be harvested; ripe.
5
Fruitful and warm.
6
Not coarse, brash, harsh, or rough; delicate, rich, soft, subdued.
7
Well-matured from age or experience; not impetuous or impulsive; calm, dignified, gentle.
8
Cheerful, genial, jovial, merry; also, easygoing, laid-back, calm, relaxed.

noun

1
USinformalThe property of being mellow; mellowness.
2
USinformalA comfortable or relaxed mood.
3
USinformalAlso main mellow: a close friend or lover.

verb

1
USinformalTo cause (fruit) to become soft or tender, specifically by ripening.
2
USinformalTo cause (food or drink, for example, cheese or wine, or its flavour) to become matured and smooth, and not acidic, harsh, or sharp.
3
USinformalTo soften (land or soil) and make it suitable for planting in.
4
USinformalTo reduce or remove the harshness or roughness from (something); to soften, to subdue, to tone down.
5
USinformalTo cause (a person) to become calmer, gentler, and more understanding, particularly from age or experience.
The fervour of early feeling is tempered and mellowed by the ripeness of age.
6
USinformalTo cause (a person) to become slightly or pleasantly drunk or intoxicated.
7
USinformalFollowed by out: to relax (a person); in particular, to cause (a person) to become pleasantly high or stoned by taking drugs.
8
USinformalTo mature and lose its harshness or sharpness.