Mince vs. Mints: What's the Difference?
While mince and mints may appear similar at a glance, they differ significantly in meaning and context. Mince refers to food, particularly meat, that has been chopped into very small pieces or ground. It is commonly used in cooking for dishes like mince pies or spaghetti bolognese. On the other hand, mints typically refer to mint-flavored candy or gum, often consumed to freshen the breath.
How do you use the word mince in a sentence?
The word mince is often used when discussing food preparation or recipes. It implies the action of finely chopping food, especially meat, or describes the resultant product, such as minced garlic or minced beef. It can also indicate a cautious or delicate way of expressing something, as in mincing words.
Examples of mince in a sentence
- She decided to mince the onions finely to avoid overpowering the dish.
- Please use minced pork for the dumpling filling, as it's traditionally prepared this way.
- During the interview, he did not mince his words when sharing his opinions about the company's policy.
How do you use the word mints in a sentence?
The word mints can be used to describe a type of confectionery that is flavored with mint. It is commonly associated with freshening breath and comes in various forms, including chewing gum, hard candy, or lozenges.
Examples of mints in a sentence
- After the meal, they offered us a bowl of mints at the checkout counter.
- She prefers sugar-free mints to freshen her breath before meetings.
- I always keep a pack of mints in my car for long drives.
Mince and mints definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation
Mince definition:
Mince (verb) refers to cutting up or grinding food, especially meat, into very small pieces. As a noun, it describes the food that has been chopped in this manner.
Mince parts of speech:
Mince pronunciation:
Mince is pronounced as /mɪns/.
Mints definition:
Mints (noun) are candies flavored with mint, used as a refreshment or to sweeten breath.
Mints parts of speech:
Mints pronunciation:
Mints is pronounced as /mɪnts/.
Mince (verb) refers to cutting up or grinding food, especially meat, into very small pieces. As a noun, it describes the food that has been chopped in this manner.
Mince parts of speech:
- As a verb: He began to mince the beef for the meatloaf.
- As a noun: The recipe calls for a pound of pork mince.
Mince pronunciation:
Mince is pronounced as /mɪns/.
Mints definition:
Mints (noun) are candies flavored with mint, used as a refreshment or to sweeten breath.
Mints parts of speech:
- As a noun (plural): Do you have any mints in your purse?
- As a noun (singular): The mint has a strong peppermint flavor.
Mints pronunciation:
Mints is pronounced as /mɪnts/.
Mince vs. mints in a nutshell
In summary, mince can act both as a verb and a noun related to the fine chopping of food, while mints refers to mint-flavored confectioneries, often used to freshen breath. They are easily differentiated by their context: mince in culinary settings and mints in the context of breath freshening. Pronunciation plays a subtle role in distinguishing them, with mince having a shorter vowel sound compared to the slightly extended vowel in mints.
Get AI Writing Assistance Wherever You Type
Make sure your vocabulary is on point and every punctuation mark is in the right place, no matter where you’re working. Grammarly works across more than 500,000 websites and apps so you can improve your writing without copying, pasting, or breaking focused.
More Commonly Confused Words
Interest piqued? Pore (not pour) over other commonly confused words to help your writing reach peak (not peek) performance.