# blend

/ˈbɫɛnd/ (US) · /blˈɛnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/blend
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to mix together

verb · CEFR B1

to mix two or more things together so they become one smooth substance.

For teachers: to combine different substances or elements into a single, uniform whole. Often used with 'together' or 'with'.

- You should blend the fruit and yogurt until the mixture is smooth.
- The chef demonstrated how to blend the chilled butter into the flour without overworking the dough, ensuring a flaky crust.

Usage: Often used as a transitive verb taking a direct object.

### 2. to match or fit in

verb · CEFR B2

to look good together or to hide by looking like the things around you.

For teachers: to harmonize or be visually indistinguishable from the surrounding environment.

- The new curtains blend perfectly with the color of the walls.
- The modern extension was designed to blend seamlessly with the original Victorian brickwork, maintaining the street's historical character.

Usage: Commonly used with the preposition 'with' or 'into'.

### 3. a mixture

noun · CEFR B1

a mix of different types of the same thing, like coffee beans or tea leaves.

For teachers: a product or substance made by combining different varieties or qualities of a specific item.

- This special blend of coffee is made from beans grown in three different countries.
- The perfumer created a unique blend of floral and woody notes, resulting in a sophisticated fragrance that changed throughout the day.

### 4. combined word

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a word made by joining parts of two other words together.

For teachers: a word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two or more other words; also known as a portmanteau.

- The word 'brunch' is a blend of 'breakfast' and 'lunch'.
- Linguistic blends like 'smog' or 'motel' demonstrate how morphological boundaries can be blurred to create concise new terminology.

## Examples

- This coffee is a special blend of beans from Brazil and Ethiopia.
- The architect designed the building as a perfect blend of modern glass and traditional stone to match the historic neighborhood.
- The novelist's latest work offers a seamless blend of historical fact and speculative fiction, challenging the reader to distinguish between documented events and imaginative prose.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.