mushy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈmə-shē How to pronounce mushy (audio)
especially in sense 2 also ˈmu̇-
mushier; mushiest
Synonyms of mushynext
1
a
: having the consistency of mush : soft
b
: lacking in definition or precision
2
: excessively tender or emotional
especially : exhibiting overly sweet or sappy romantic feelings
mushily
ˈmə-shə-lē How to pronounce mushy (audio)
ˈmu̇-
adverb
mushiness
ˈmə-shē-nəs How to pronounce mushy (audio)
ˈmu̇-
noun

mushiness

2 of 2

noun

mush·​i·​ness -shēnə̇s How to pronounce mushiness (audio)
-shin-
plural -es
: the quality or state of being mushy or mawkishly sentimental

Synonyms of mushy

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of mushy in a Sentence

Adjective mushy fruit that was obviously overripe
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Noodles left sitting in the soup pot swell and soak up the liquid, turning the pasta mushy. — Danielle Bouchard, Martha Stewart, 24 Oct. 2026 Softer apples—those that yield to the pressure of your thumb—are higher in water content and more likely to lose their shape or get soft and mushy when cooked. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026 The apple pieces cook up nice and tender without becoming mushy, adding bright and tart pops of fresh fruit flavor throughout the scone. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2026 Choose grapes that are firm, plump, mold-free, and attached to fresh stems; avoid mushy, wrinkled, or brown grapes. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mushy

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mushy was in 1839

Rhymes for mushy

See All Rhymes for mushy

Browse Nearby Words

mushsquash
mushy
mushy chick
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mushy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mushy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wraith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All