# blending

/ˈbɫɛndɪŋ/ (US) · /blˈɛndɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/blending
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. mixing together

verb · CEFR B1

mixing two or more things together so they become one.

For teachers: the present participle of 'blend', describing the action of combining substances or elements into a uniform mixture.

- She is blending the fruit and yogurt to make a healthy smoothie.
- The chef was carefully blending the spices into the sauce to ensure the heat didn't overpower the delicate herbal notes.

### 2. the act of combining

noun · CEFR B2

the process of mixing things like colours, sounds, or ideas so they work well together.

For teachers: the act or result of merging distinct components; frequently used in artistic or technical contexts to describe seamless transitions.

- The artist's blending of blue and green created a beautiful ocean scene.
- The successful blending of traditional acoustic instruments with modern electronic beats gave the album its unique, contemporary sound.

### 3. linguistics

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

joining parts of two words together to make a new word.

For teachers: the formation of a new lexeme by joining parts of two or more existing words, such as 'brunch' from 'breakfast' and 'lunch'.

- The word 'smog' is a famous example of word blending.
- Morphological blending remains a productive process in modern English, particularly within the realms of technology and social media marketing.

Usage: uncountable in a general sense, but countable when referring to specific instances of word formation.

## Examples

- The blending of colors creates a new shade.
- The blending of traditional and modern styles makes the building unique.
- The seamless blending of narrative and visual elements in the film creates an immersive experience that transcends typical storytelling conventions.

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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.