mist

1 of 2

noun

ˈmist 

1

: water in the form of particles floating or falling in the atmosphere at or near the surface of the earth and approaching the form of rain

2

: something that obscures understanding

mists of antiquity

3

: a film before the eyes

4

a

: a cloud of small particles or objects suggestive of a mist

b

: a suspension of a finely divided liquid in a gas

c

: a fine spray

5

: a drink of liquor served over cracked ice

mist

2 of 2

verb

misted; misting; mists

intransitive verb

1

: to be or become misty

2

: to become moist or blurred

transitive verb

: to cover or spray with or convert to mist

Synonyms

Noun

• drizzle
• mizzle
• sprinkle

Verb

• becloud
• bedim
• befog
• blacken
• blear
• blur
• cloud
• darken
• dim
• dislimn
• fog
• fuzz (up)
• haze
• obscure
• overcast
• overcloud
• overshadow
• shadow
• shroud

Examples of mist in a Sentence

Noun

We could barely see the shore through the mist.

The hills were veiled in a fine mist.

an issue clouded by mists of confusion

Verb

The plant should be misted regularly.

It was misting when we arrived.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Test Fire Simulation will put visitors beneath a rocket engine and into a simulation that includes sounds, lights and a cooling mist. —Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2024

Steve Jobs would come at a journalist like the rain in Buenaventura, aggressively pitching his message; Cook envelopes his interlocutors in a gentle mist and confides awed assessments of his company’s efforts. —Steven Levy, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024

Verb

Zoom in: This first phase repaired and preserved the original architecture while adding features, including a digital misting system and lighting for evening displays. —Kate Murphy, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024

New safety measures include fire walls, state-of-the-art alarms, and sprinklers with a misting system to reduce water impact. —Dana Thomas, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Middle Dutch mist mist, Greek omichlē

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing mist

• love-in-a-mist
• mist net

Kids Definition

mist

1 of 2 noun

ˈmist 

1

: water in the form of particles floating in the air or falling as fine rain

2

: something that keeps one from seeing or understanding clearly

mist

2 of 2 verb

1

: to be or become misty

2

: to become dim or blurred

3

: to cover with a mist