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mishmash

mishmash

7 6.4
A confused mix of different things
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪʃˌmæʃ/
translation icon : mezcla confusa
  • In his room, there was a mishmash of old toys, clothes, and books scattered everywhere.

I found it kind of, you know, like a mishmash of, of stuff.

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Examples

  • Over a billion dollars has been spent here to create a past that is a generic mishmash of ancient cultures.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Resplendently cast in a marble and granite shell, the building is a mishmash of architectural styles.

    Academic text (2002)
  • I hope you enjoyed the mishmash of today with the London day and I will see you again very soon.

  • So this little mishmash of products here has been just bomb for me.

  • The result was a mishmash of players that went on to form that infamous roster.

    Blog text (27)
  • The mishmash of colors resembles eggs smashed on the green felt of a pool table.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • It is a mishmash of every book you've ever read.

  • Inside, the Inferno is a mishmash of video games, ancient carnival props, and old horror movie posters.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The effect was bleak and seedy, a mishmash of secondhand odds and ends.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Instead, it has combined conventional and counterterrorist strategies in an ill-coordinated and incoherent mishmash.

    Academic text (2009)

Synonyms

mix
vsmishmash
276 1.0

A group of different things or people that are together

is the mixed jumble sense focusing on disorder rather than process
blend
vsmishmash
98 2.3

A mix of different things, like colors or spices

is the messy mixed sense emphasizing confusion rather than process
a mix of
vsmishmash
58 1.8

Different things put together form one thing

is the messy jumble sense highlighting confusion and disorder
mixture
vsmishmash
58 1.2

An action that brings two or more things together

is the term for the resulting confused collection
concoction
vsmishmash
24 6.0

A food or drink made by mixing different things, often in a new way

is the plain term for a mixed, confused assortment rather than crafted
jumble
vsmishmash
20 4.6

A confused mixture of things or ideas

is the general word for a messy combined collection
hodgepodge
vsmishmash
14 7.3

A messy mixture of different things thrown together

is the broader, slightly less informal term for such jumble
tangle
vsmishmash
13 5.5

A confused situation that is hard to understand or solve

is the general mixed idea without stressing separability
melange
vsmishmash
1 8.2

A mixture of different things, often very varied and unexpected

is the regular word for a mixed, jumbled collection
farrago
vsmishmash
  • Formal
1 9.9

A confused mix of different things that do not fit together

is the plain term for a mixed, disorderly group
hotch
vsmishmash
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A messy mixture of different things

is the overall name for a mixed, chaotic collection
miscellany
vsmishmash
  • Literature
1 7.9

A group of different small things like papers or photos

is the common messy mixture sense rather than formal collection
ragbag
vsmishmash
1 7.1

A collection of different, unrelated items

is the common term for any confused mixture or jumble
rag bag
vsmishmash
  • UK
1 7.1

A messy mix of things that do not belong together

is the general chaotic mixture rather than orderly grouping
olio
vsmishmash
1 9.9

A mixed collection of things from many places

is the typical word for an untidy mixed group
salmagundi
vsmishmash
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A mixed collection of different things

is the neutral name for a confused combined set
hotchpotch
vsmishmash
  • UK
8.7

A messy mixture of different things that do not fit together

is the general messy mixture without implying poor matching
gallimaufry
vsmishmash
  • Archaic
9.9

A mixed collection of different things

is the everyday word for a confused mixed collection
salpicon
vsmishmash
9.9

A mixed collection of different things, like essays, photos, or objects

is the straightforward term for a confused mixture
omnium-gatherum
vsmishmash
  • Archaic
9.9

A mixed collection of different things, like photos and receipts

is the more neutral label for a mixed, disorderly group
patchwork of ideas
vsmishmash
6.7

A mix of different ideas that do not form a clear whole

is the broader term for any mixed and confusing collection
chapalang mix
vsmishmash
  • UK
9.9

A collection of different things chosen without planning

is the general word for a confused mixture beyond informal cases
mingle-mangle
vsmishmash
  • Archaic
9.9

A confused mix of different things like old toys and books

is the straightforward term for a mixed, messy group

Antonyms

201 1.0

To put things in a neat sequence

152 3.0

How easy it is to understand what someone says or writes

How Confused

jumble
20 4.6
mishmash
7 6.4
mess
1.0

Surface Forms

mishmash singular
mishmashes plural

Morphology

mishmash = mash (semi-transparent) = mish + mash

Formed by echoic reduplication ('mish' + 'mash'); the first element is a non-lexical reduplicant and the overall meaning 'a jumble' is lexicalized rather than strictly derivable from 'mash'.

Etymology

Mishmash is a funny repeat of mash ('to crush' or 'mix'). So a mishmash is like things all mashed together, a confused mixture.