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Blending words are formed by merging parts of two words to create a new one. On this page, you’ll find the meaning, plenty of examples, and some quick quizzes to test your knowledge. Let’s get started!
what are blend words?
Blending, blend words, or portmanteau words are one of the many ways to create a new word in English. A blend word is created by merging two existing words together to make a new word. The meaning of the new word combines the meanings of the original words. They are very common in this day and age.
blend word examples
Let’s take a look at some more examples and see if you get the hang of it.
- breakfast + lunch = brunch (a meal eaten late morning instead of breakfast and lunch)
- electronic + mail = email (text communication over the internet)
- glamorous + camping = glamping (posh camping with home comforts)
- mock + cocktail = mocktail (a non- alcoholic cocktail)
- work + alcoholic = workaholic (a person who never stops working)
Have you heard of any of these before?
blend words list
Here are some more examples for you to familiarise yourselves with plus an example in use.
- alcohol + pop = alcopop
example – I don’t want to get wasted tonight, so I’m only taking a couple of alcopops (said no one ever!
- bang + smash = bash
example – Let`s go on the dodgems next, I want to bash the shit out of you.
- biology + electronic = bionic
example – Have you seen the news? Doctors have made a bionic body for a guy who was in a car smash.
- biography + picture = biopic
example – There`s a biopic on telly tonight, I’m going to stay in and watch it.
- web + log = blog
example – I write a blog for a magazine.
- Bombay + Hollywood = Bollywood
example – My friend is a Bollywood star.
- booty + delicious = bootylicious
example – My body`s so bootylicious baby.
- boxing + exercise = boxercise
example – I`m not going to boxercise tonight, I can’t be bothered.
- breakfast + lunch = brunch
We`re doing brunch later this week so I’ll ask her then.
- breath + analyser = breathalyser
example – Make sure you don’t have more than one drink; the cops are patrolling with breathalysers.
- British + exit = Brexit
example – Who in their right mind voted for Brexit?
- camera + recorder = camcorder
example – I`m definitely taking the camcorder on my safari holiday.
- chill + relax = chillax
example – My mum needs to chillax, she’s going to make herself ill.
- chuckle + snort = chortle
example – That was so funny, I couldn’t help but chortle to myself.
- cybernetic + organism = cyborg
example – You need to watch Terminator, it`s about a cyborg.
- electricity + execute = electrocute
example – Don’t touch the socket with wet hands, you`ll electrocute yourself.
- electronic + mail = email
example – I just need to check my emails, then I’ll be with you.
- emotion + icon = emoticon
example – I taught my mum how to use emoticons, now she keeps bombarding me with them.
- fan + magazine = fanzine
example – I`ve unsubscribed to the fanzine for the club, it`s awful.
- fantastic + fabulous = fantabulous
example – Darling, fantabulous party last night. I can’t wait for the next one.
- Fourteen + night = fortnight
example – My first exam is in a fortnight.
- Frankenstein + food = Frankenfood
example – I`m not eating any of that Frankenfood, just organic fruit and veg for me.
- friend + enemy = frenemy
example – She`s my frenemy. We put up with each other, but I secretly hate her guts.
- giant + enormous = ginormous
example – I found a shop that sells ginormous pancakes with any topping you like!
- glamorous + camping = glamping
example – We`ll be glamping this year, it rained so much last year all our stuff got destroyed.
- gleam + shimmer = glimmer
example – Look at my new car glimmering in the sun.
- global + English = Globish
example – My boss is sending me on a Globish course, so I can communicate better with our clients.
- guess + estimate = guesstimate
example – I`d guesstimate the price to be around $40 per unit.
- hungry + angry = hangry
example – Give the baby a snack, he gets hangry mid-afternoon.
- huge + monstrous = humongous
example – HELP! There`s a humongous spider on my bed.
- international + network = internet
example – No internet for a week Timmy! If you can’t tidy your room, you can’t have the internet.
- lion + tiger = liger
example – Have you seen the cross between a lion and a tiger? It looks lush, it`s called a liger.
- malicious + software = malware
example – You need better security on your tablet, there`s lots of malware flying around the net.
- man + bikini = mankini
example – Please don’t wear your mankini, it’s embarrassing.
- mock + cocktail = mocktail
example – Only mocktails for me tonight, I’m driving.
- motor + hotel = motel
example – There`s a nicer motel around the corner, let`s go there.
- motor + pedal = moped
example – My son wants a moped, I said over my dead body.
- multiple + complex = multiplex
example – A new multiplex cinema is being built soon.
- Oxford + Cambridge = Oxbridge
example – I`m so clever, my teacher thinks I could go to Oxbridge.
- parachute + troops = paratrooper
example – I`d love to be a paratrooper.
- romantic + comedy = romcom
example – I`m going to make my boyfriend watch a romcom tonight, he secretly loves them.
- sex + texting = sexting
example – I caught my boyfriend sexting his ex.
- shock + documentary = shockumentary
example – I was gobsmacked watching a shockumentary about drugs and crime last night.
- slang + language = slanguage
example – Please don’t use slanguage around the boss.
- smoke and fog = smog
example – The smog is so bad in Beijing, people have to wear masks.
- Spanish + English = Spanglish
example – Just speak Spanglish, then we can all understand.
- spoon + fork = spork
example – Have you seen a spork? It’s great for travelling.
- sports + broadcast = sportscast
example – I love the Olympics, there are sportscasts all day!
- squirm + wiggle = squiggle
example – Look at that little fish squiggling around in its tank.
- stay + vacation = staycation
example – We can`t afford to go anywhere this year, so we`re having a staycation instead.
- television + marathon = telethon
example – I’m watching a telethon to raise money for the dogs in Morocco.
- video + log = vlog
example – I need to update my vlog, my parents love seeing what I’ve been up to.
- web + seminar = webinar
example – We`ve got a webinar at 9 am sharp.
- work + alcoholic = workaholic
example – You need to slow down! You`re a workaholic, you`ll end up killing yourself one day.
blend words in use
I’ve made a few stories containing blend words. See if you can understand them.
blend words quizzes
Ready to test your knowledge? Try these fun quizzes on blend words and see how many you can get right. A great way to practise and learn at the same time!
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