WordLens

mince

1 of 2verb
/mɪns/
Forms:minces,mincing,minced,minced
1

to cut meat or other food into very small pieces, usually using a meat grinder or a sharp knife

transitive
  • Mince the garlic cloves finely before adding them to the sauce.
  • She minces the onions to add flavor to the soup.
  • Use a meat grinder to mince the beef for the meatballs.
  • Mincing the ginger releases its flavor in the stir-fry.
  • To make homemade sausage, you need to mince the pork.
2

to soften or downplay something, especially by using mild or less direct language

transitive
  • He minced his words when talking about the company’s recent failures.
  • The politician minced no words in his speech, carefully avoiding controversial topics.
  • She tried to mince her criticism, but it still came across as harsh.
  • Instead of confronting the issue directly, she minced her words to keep the peace.
  • He didn’t mince matters; he simply told them they had to improve.
Synonyms:
3

to walk in a delicate or exaggeratedly graceful way

  • She minced across the room in her high heels, trying to look elegant.
  • He couldn’t help but mince around the party, drawing attention to himself.
  • She minced through the garden, her steps light and precise.
  • The dancer minced gracefully across the stage during her solo.
  • His attempt to mince in the rain ended with him slipping on the wet pavement.