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blend in

B1 neutral separable both
In simple words

To look so similar to your surroundings that nobody notices you, OR to mix something smoothly into food.

Literal meaning: To blend (mix) into something so thoroughly you become part of it.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic neutral

To look or behave so similarly to one's surroundings that one goes unnoticed.

"The spy wore local clothes and spoke the language fluently in order to blend in."

Grammar: inseparable
2 B1 idiomatic neutral

To feel accepted and comfortable within a social group; to integrate socially.

"It took her a few weeks to blend in at the new school, but she made friends eventually."

Grammar: inseparable
3 A2 neutral

In cooking: to mix an ingredient smoothly into a mixture until it is fully incorporated.

"Blend in the cream gradually and stir until the sauce is perfectly smooth."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

The figurative sense (going unnoticed in a social or physical environment) is very common in everyday English. The cooking sense is standard in recipes. The figurative sense is especially used in discussions of camouflage, social integration, and espionage. Can be intransitive ('She blended in') or transitive ('Blend in the butter').

Commonly used with

crowd background surroundings society butter mixture

Forms

Base
blend in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
blends in
he/she/it
Past simple
blended in
yesterday
Past participle
blended in
have + pp
-ing form
blending in
continuous

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