mince words

Australia, UK/ˌmɪns ˈwɜːdz/Canada, US/ˌmɪns ˈwɜɹdz/New Zealand/ˌməns ˈwøːdz/Scotland/ˌmɪns ˈwʌɹdz/

verb

To restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.

“Near-synonym: pull punches”

Similar
mince matterspull punches
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Meanings

verbmince words (third-person singular simple present minces words, present participle mincing words, simple past and past participle minced words)

present singular third person minces words · participle present mincing words · participle past minced words · past minced words · alternative mince one's words · alternative mince matters

  1. idiomaticintransitiveTo restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.

    Near-synonym: pull punches

    1 more example

    For quotations using this term, see Citations:mince words.

    Synonyms: mince matters, pull punches

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.

Similar
mince matterspull punches
Also see
mince matterspull punches

Origin

From mince (“to say or utter vaguely (not directly or frankly)”, transitive figurative verb) + words. First attested in the mid-1500s.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 直言不諱 /直言不讳
  • 直言不諱 /直言不讳 (zhíyánbùhuì)to restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Dutch zich geen blad voor de mond nemen, zonder omhaal van woorden
  • zich geen blad voor de mond nemento restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
  • zonder omhaal van woordento restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Finnish kierrellä
  • kierrelläto restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
French ne pas mâcher ses mots
  • ne pas mâcher ses motsto restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
German sich kein Blatt vor den Mund nehmen
  • sich kein Blatt vor den Mund nehmento restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Icelandic tala tæpitungulaust, vera ómyrkur í máli
  • tala tæpitungulaustto restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
  • vera ómyrkur í málito restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Italian pesare le parole, usare mezzi termini
  • pesare le paroleto restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
  • usare mezzi terminito restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Norwegian Bokmål ikke ta bladet for munnen
  • ikke ta bladet for munnento restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Polish owijać w bawełnę
  • owijać w bawełnęto restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Portuguese não ter papas na língua
  • não ter papas na línguato restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Russian говори́ть обиняка́ми, говори́ть без обиняко́в
  • говори́ть обиняка́ми (govorítʹ obinjakámi)to restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
  • говори́ть без обиняко́в (govorítʹ bez obinjakóv)to restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Spanish no tener pelos en la lengua
  • no tener pelos en la lenguato restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Swedish skräda orden
  • skräda ordento restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.
Cite this entry
APA

mince words. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mince%20words

MLA

“mince words.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mince%20words. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mince words,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mince%20words.

Source: mince words on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.