For Individuals|For Teachers
Vocapedia
Log inTry for Free
Log in

Looking up...

Words

  • Words of the Year
  • Recent Lookups
  • My Dictionary

Languages

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Korean
  • German

Features

  • Words of the Year
  • My Collections List
  • Reviews
  • Learning Resources
  • Community Collections

Learn

  • How It Works
  • Study Guides
  • Language Tips
  • FAQ
  • Getting Started

Community

  • Forum
  • Blog
  • Help Center
  • Partnerships

About

  • About Vocapedia
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
  • GDPR Compliance
© 2026 Vocapedia. All rights reserved.

melt

/mɛlt/
verb★Beginner
general

to change from a solid state to a liquid state due to heat

The chocolate melted in the microwave.

The chocolate turned from solid to liquid when heated in the microwave.

The snow melted as temperatures rose.

The snow turned into water as the weather got warmer.

💡

This is the most common meaning of 'melt.'

figurative

to become emotionally overwhelmed or soften in attitude

She melted when she saw the puppy.

She became emotionally overwhelmed with affection when she saw the puppy.

His heart melted when he heard the sad story.

He became emotionally soft and sympathetic after hearing the sad story.

💡

This figurative meaning is often used to describe emotional reactions.

Collocations

melt awayto gradually disappear or dissolvemelt downto experience a severe emotional breakdownmelt in your mouthto describe food that dissolves easily in the mouth

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

melt in your mouthphrase
to describe food that dissolves easily in the mouth
melt downphrasal verb
to experience a severe emotional breakdown

💡Pro Tip

Literal vs. Figurative Use

Remember that 'melt' can be used both literally (e.g., ice melting) and figuratively (e.g., a heart melting with emotion).

⚡Gold Rule

Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb 'melt' does not require an auxiliary verb in the present tense (e.g., 'The ice melts in the sun,' not 'The ice is melts in the sun.').

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'melten,' from Old English 'meltan,' from Proto-Germanic 'meltaną,' meaning 'to melt, dissolve.' Related to Old Norse 'melta,' Old Frisian 'melta,' and Dutch 'smelten.'

📝Usage Notes

The verb 'melt' is often used in both literal and figurative contexts. In literal contexts, it refers to the physical process of a solid turning into a liquid. In figurative contexts, it can describe emotional reactions or the gradual disappearance of something.

Word Breakdown

melt
to change from solid to liquid
root
English Dictionary

Learning Progress

Track your learning journey!

• Save words to build your vocabulary

• Monitor your daily streak

• Get personalized review reminders

• See words learned statistics

Log in to access advanced features and track your progress!

Go to Dashboard →