MEANING
1. To soften language so that its force is reduced.
2. To chop food into very small pieces.
3. To walk with short, delicate, or affected steps.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- mince words
- not mince words
On the page
She did not mince words about the failed inspection.
Word forms
- Base
- mince
- Past tense
- minced
- Past participle
- minced
- Present participle
- mincing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- mince
- Present continuous
- am/is/are mincing
- Present perfect
- have/has minced
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been mincing
- Past
- minced
- Past continuous
- was/were mincing
- Past perfect
- had minced
- Past perfect continuous
- had been mincing
- Future
- will mince
- Future continuous
- will be mincing
- Future perfect
- will have minced
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been mincing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: mince; minces; minced; minced; mincing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, character, dialogue. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: minces.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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