minced; mincing
1
a
: to cut or chop into very small pieces
She minced the garlic.
b
: to subdivide minutely
especially
: to damage by cutting up
The director minced up the play.
2
: to utter or pronounce with affectation
minced the word in the manner of the old lady
3
a
archaic
: minimize
b
: to restrain (words) within the bounds of decorum
minced no words in stating his dislike—
J. T. Farrell
J. T. Farrell
: to walk with short steps in a prim affected manner
The comedian minced across the stage.
mincer
noun
1
: small chopped bits (as of food)
specifically
: mincemeat
2
British
: hamburger sense 1a
Examples of mince in a Sentence
Verb
She minced the onions.
minced some garlic and added it to the stew
Recent Examples on the Web
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 July 2025
Alex Cora didn’t mince words before the break when noting the disappointment of recent years.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 27 July 2025
Chinese cleavers, on the other hand, are thinner, sharper, and often used more like a chef’s knife for slicing, chopping, and mincing.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 July 2025
The director-general doesn’t mince words: the current project-by-project aid model isn’t effective.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mince
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Verb
Officials didn’t mince words about the White House’s agenda and rhetoric, either.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 July 2025
Alex Cora didn’t mince words before the break when noting the disappointment of recent years.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 27 July 2025
Chinese cleavers, on the other hand, are thinner, sharper, and often used more like a chef’s knife for slicing, chopping, and mincing.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 July 2025
The director-general doesn’t mince words: the current project-by-project aid model isn’t effective.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mince
Cite this Entry
“Mince.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mince. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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