Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Characterized by a moderate, unperturbed, or tranquil quality, especially.
  • adjective Pleasant in manner; smooth.
  • adjective Not irritating or stimulating; soothing.
  • adjective Exhibiting no personal worry, embarrassment, or concern.
  • adjective Dull and insipid.
  • adjective Having little or no distinctive flavor.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To mix; blend.
  • noun Mixture; union.
  • noun An agreeable summer beverage prepared from the whey of churned milk, common among the inhabitants of the Shetland islands.
  • To flatter; blandish.
  • Mild; soft; gentle; balmy.
  • Affable; suave; soothing; kindly: as, “bland words,”
  • Mild; free from irritating qualities: said of certain medicines: as, bland oils.
  • Not stimulating: said of food.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Mild; soft; gentle; smooth and soothing in manner; suave.
  • adjective Having soft and soothing qualities; not drastic or irritating; not stimulating.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To mix; blend; mingle.
  • verb transitive To connect; associate.
  • noun Mixture; union.
  • noun An agreeable summer beverage prepared from the whey of churned milk, common among the inhabitants of the Shetland Islands.
  • adjective Mild; soft, gentle, balmy; smooth in manner; suave.
  • adjective Having a soothing effect; not irritating or stimulating.
  • adjective Lacking in taste or vigor.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective lacking taste or flavor or tang
  • adjective smoothly agreeable and courteous with a degree of sophistication
  • adjective lacking stimulating characteristics; uninteresting

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin blandus, caressing, flattering; see mel- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Ultimately from Latin blandus ("pleasant, flattering").

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English blanden, blonden, from Old English blandan ("to blend, mix, mingle; trouble, disturb, corrupt"), from Proto-Germanic *blandanan (“to mix, blend”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhlendh- (“to grow turbid, dim, see badly, be blind”). Cognate with Danish and Norwegian blande, Swedish blanda ("to mix, mingle, shuffle, blend"), Icelandic blanda ("to mix"). See also blend.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English bland, from Old English bland, blond ("blending, mixture, confusion"), from Proto-Germanic *blandan (“a mixing, mixture”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhlendh- (“to grow turbid, dim, see badly, be blind”). Cognate with Icelandic blanda ("a mixture of liquids, especially of hot whey and water").

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Examples

  • Natalie carefully kept her expression bland, though her stomach clenched at the words.

    Saving Grace Denise Hunter 2005

  • “There are some questions I wanted to ask her, not being invited to attend the postmortem …” He kept his expression bland, standing on his dignity.

    A Share in Death Deborah Crombie 1993

  • She kept her gaze level and her expression bland, but her teeth were gritted.

    Silver Wings, Santiago Blue Janet Dailey 1984

  • She kept her gaze level and her expression bland, but her teeth were gritted.

    Silver Wings, Santiago Blue Janet Dailey 1984

  • She kept her gaze level and her expression bland, but her teeth were gritted.

    Silver Wings, Santiago Blue Janet Dailey 1984

  • She kept her gaze level and her expression bland, but her teeth were gritted.

    Silver Wings, Santiago Blue Janet Dailey 1984

  • The Japanese love "subtle" flavors (what I call bland).

    CHE > Latest news 2010

  • The Japanese love "subtle" flavors (what I call bland).

    CHE > Latest news 2010

  • I do think that "bland" is NOT the way to go, not in an age of unparalleled consumer choice.

    Medieval Fallout III and Judging Books by Their Covers IV Lou Anders 2006

  • I do think that "bland" is NOT the way to go, not in an age of unparalleled consumer choice.

    Archive 2006-10-01 Lou Anders 2006

Comments

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  • Ghost town in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. Also Bland Canyon that is somewhat grand.

    Blando &

    Bland Canyon

    February 20, 2011

  • JM reckons TV is the bland leading the bland

    August 26, 2011