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My first week teaching at a startup, I heard one engineer describe the project deadline as “unrealistic” and another reply, “That’s a total bummer.” The second engineer used “bummer” as if it was a complete word, not a blend of “bad” and “downer”—and everyone knew exactly what he meant. Blended words are everywhere in modern English: we don’t think twice about “brunch” or “selfie” or “staycation”, even though none of them existed a generation ago.
The thing about blended words, or portmanteaus, is that they’re not random. They follow patterns. They fill gaps—they let us say something in one word that would take a phrase. I’ll show you 20 of the most useful blended words in English, how they’re constructed, why English speakers invented them, and how you can recognize—and even invent—blends yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Blending combines two complete words — parts of each word overlap or merge (breakfast + lunch = brunch, not brunch as a new root).
- Blends are economical — they compress two ideas into one word, saving time and often adding humor (smog, frenemy).
- Many blends are relatively new — “selfie” (2002), “binge-watch” (2015), “glamping” (2005) are all recent coinages that stuck.
- Register varies by blend — some (motel, brunch) are neutral; others are casual (chillax) or informal (bae).
- Blends can become formal words — “motel” and “smog” started as informal blends but are now standard dictionary entries.
What Is a Blended Word?
A blended word , or portmanteau , is a new word created by fusing parts of two (or occasionally more) existing words. The blend carries the meaning of both source words, compressed into one unit.
Example: Smoke + fog = smog. You take part of the first word and part of the second, then fuse them.
How Blending Works: Three Patterns
There are three main ways English speakers blend words:
- Overlapping: Parts of both words overlap. The end of the first word is the same as the start of the second.
- Motel: mot[or] + [h]otel — the [o] sound/letter overlaps.
- Brunch: br[eakfast] + [l]unch — the [un] sound is shared.
- Concatenation (pure fusion): You take a chunk from the beginning of one word and a chunk from the end of another, with no overlap.
- Smog: sm[oke] + f[og] — starts with “sm” (smoke) + ends with “og” (fog).
- Spork: sp[oon] + f[ork] — starts with “sp” + ends with “ork”.
- Back-blending or reanalysis: A word is created from an existing blend, misreading it as a separate morpheme.
- Workaholic: work + alc[oholic]. Then “aholic” becomes a productive suffix (-aholic: chocoholic, shopaholic).
Key difference: Blending is not the same as compounding. Compounds like “notebook” or “bathroom” join two complete words without loss. Blends trim and merge parts, creating something entirely new.
Common Blended Words by Category
Food and Meals
| Blended Word | Source Words | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunch | Breakfast + Lunch | A meal eaten late morning, combining breakfast and lunch | Neutral–casual |
| Linner | Lunch + Dinner | A meal between lunch and dinner (rare, less established than brunch) | Very casual |
| Brekkie | Breakfast + -ie | Informal Australian/British English for breakfast | Very casual |
| Chocoholic | Chocolate + Alcoholic | A person who loves chocolate excessively | Humorous–casual |
Technology and Internet
| Blended Word | Source Words | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blog | Web + Log | A website where a person regularly posts entries (diary-like) | Neutral |
| Selfie | Self + -ie | A photograph taken of oneself, usually with a smartphone | Casual–informal |
| Infomercial | Information + Commercial | A TV program that advertises a product while appearing educational | Neutral |
| Netiquette | Net + Etiquette | Proper etiquette for online communication | Formal–technical |
| Blogosphere | Blog + Sphere | The collective community of bloggers and blogs worldwide | Formal–technical |
Lifestyle and Travel
| Blended Word | Source Words | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staycation | Stay + Vacation | A vacation spent at home or locally, not traveling abroad | Casual–informal |
| Glamping | Glamorous + Camping | Camping with luxury accommodations (fancy tent, heated cabin, etc.) | Casual |
| Mocktail | Mock + Cocktail | A non-alcoholic cocktail or drink | Neutral |
| Motel | Motor + Hotel | A roadside hotel designed for motorists, with parking | Neutral |
Emotion and Relationship
| Blended Word | Source Words | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hangry | Hungry + Angry | Irritable or bad-tempered due to hunger | Humorous–casual |
| Frenemy | Friend + Enemy | A person who appears to be a friend but acts like an enemy | Casual–informal |
| Bae | Baby / Babe (slang) | A term of endearment for a romantic partner (modern slang) | Very casual–slang |
| Frenemygamy | Frenemy + -gamy | A complicated romantic or relationship dynamic with mixed feelings (rare, creative) | Very casual–playful |
Environment and Weather
| Blended Word | Source Words | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smog | Smoke + Fog | Air pollution created by smoke and fog mixing | Neutral–formal |
| Snowmageddon | Snow + Armageddon | A severe, widespread snowstorm (humorous coinage) | Humorous–casual |
The Mechanics of Blending: Real Examples
Example 1: Brunch
Source words: Breakfast + Lunch
How it works:
- Take the beginning of “breakfast”: br eakfast
- Take the ending of “lunch”: lunch
- Fuse them: br + unch = brunch
Why it caught on: English needed a word for that late-morning meal that’s neither quite breakfast nor quite lunch. “Brunch” became universal in the early 1900s.
Example in context: “Let’s meet for brunch on Sunday—around 10 am?”
Example 2: Smog
Source words: Smoke + Fog
How it works:
- Take from “smoke”: sm oke
- Take from “fog”: fog
- Fuse them: sm + og = smog
Why it caught on: The word perfectly captures the phenomenon of industrial smoke mixing with fog, especially in cities like London and Los Angeles in the mid-20th century. It became so common it entered formal scientific and regulatory language.
Example in context: “The city issued a smog warning; people with respiratory issues should stay indoors.”
Example 3: Infomercial
Source words: Information + Commercial
How it works:
- Take “info” from information: info rmation
- Take “mercial” from commercial: commercial
- Fuse them: info + mercial = infomercial
Why it caught on: Television needed a term for programs that looked like documentaries but were actually advertisements. The blend perfectly captures the hybrid nature.
Example in context: “I accidentally watched an infomercial about kitchen gadgets for 30 minutes.”
Why Blending Happens: The Purpose of Blended Words
Filling Lexical Gaps
English has a concept but no simple word for it. A blend provides a quick solution. Before “brunch” existed, English speakers had to say “a late breakfast” or “an early lunch”. The blend solved the problem in one word.
Adding Humor or Personality
Blends often sound playful and creative. “Frenemy” is much more fun than “a person who is both a friend and rival”, and “hangry” captures a specific emotional state with levity. Native speakers enjoy blends because they signal in-group knowledge and creativity.
Creating New Slang or Generational Markers
Younger generations especially use blends as markers of current speech. “Bae”, “ghosting” (from the concept of disappearing like a ghost), and “slay” started as slang blends or slang words and signal who belongs to a particular group or age cohort.
Tip for learners: If you encounter a blend you don’t recognize, try to identify the two source words. Often the meaning becomes obvious. Example: “standup” (stand + up, or from fan-dom, “stan” as a superfan).
Established vs. Emerging Blends
Established Blends (Dictionary-Approved)
These blends are so old and common they’re now in major dictionaries and used in formal writing:
- Motel — Motor + Hotel (1920s coinage; now neutral)
- Smog — Smoke + Fog (1905 coinage; now formal/scientific)
- Blog — Web + Log (1990s; now standard neutral term)
- Brunch — Breakfast + Lunch (early 1900s; standard, neutral)
Emerging Blends (Slang or Generational)
These are newer, more informal, and may not yet appear in all dictionaries:
- Hangry — Hungry + Angry (2010s; very casual)
- Frenemy — Friend + Enemy (2000s; casual but increasingly recognized)
- Ghosting — Ghost + -ing (2010s; informal dating term)
- Bae — Baby / Babe + -ey sound (2010s+; very casual slang)
- Selfie — Self + -ie (2010; started very casual, now mainstream)
Sample Dialogues: Blends in Context
At a café
Friend 1: Want to grab brunch on Sunday?
Friend 2: Sure. Is the air quality okay? I heard there’s smog downtown.
Friend 1: It’s not too bad. Plus, we can sit outside and I’ll finally take a proper selfie with that new backdrop.
Friend 2: You’re not going to post it on your blog immediately?
Friend 1: Ha—maybe later. Let me actually enjoy brunch first.
Dating conversation
A: How’s the relationship going?
B: Honestly? They’re a bit of a frenemy. We get along, but they also criticize everything I do.
A: That sounds draining. Have you talked to them about it?
B: Not yet. I’m still figuring out if it’s worth the effort.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
- What two words make up “brunch”?
- Which of these is NOT a blended word: motel, hotel, smog, or blog?
- If “workaholic” is blend of “work” and “alcoholic”, what new suffix did it create?
- Which blended word means “irritable because you’re hungry”?
- Create your own blend: combine “sleep” and “walk”. What would you call someone who does this while sleeping?
Answers: 1. Breakfast + Lunch. · 2. Hotel (it’s a base word, not a blend). · 3. The suffix “-aholic” (chocoholic, shopaholic). · 4. Hangry. · 5. Sleepwalker (sleep + walk), though that one is established; creative alternatives: “sleepalk” or “walkleep” would work as blends.
Blending as a Productive Word-Formation Strategy
What makes blending interesting for learners is that it’s still active. English speakers are creating new blends constantly. Some catch on and become part of the language; others remain one-off jokes or niche terms.
Recent examples that stuck:
- Ghosting (2000s) — disappearing on someone, like a ghost
- Slay (2010s, from African American Vernacular English) — to do something excellently
- Binge-watch (2010s) — watch many episodes of a show in one sitting
- Staycation (2000s) — vacation at home
Examples that didn’t stick as widely:
- Chillax — chill + relax (used for a while, now dated)
- Frenemygamy — creative but too niche
Related Articles
- ↑ Master Pillar: English Grammar
- Prefixes and Suffixes — another way English builds new words
- ↑ Back to pillar: English Word Formation (Pillar)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a blended word, and how is it different from a compound word?
A blended word fuses parts of two words together (brunch = breakfast + lunch, where parts are trimmed). A compound word joins two complete words (notebook = note + book, no trimming). Blends compress and create something entirely new; compounds join whole units.
Why do English speakers create blended words?
Blending serves multiple purposes: it fills gaps in vocabulary (brunch), creates humor and personality (hangry, frenemy), and generates in-group slang (bae, ghosting). English is flexible and allows speakers to invent words that fit situations.
Are all blended words accepted in formal English?
No. Established blends like “motel,” “smog,” and “blog” appear in dictionaries and formal writing. Newer or very casual blends (bae, ghosting) are informal and shouldn’t appear in formal essays or professional writing. The age and widespread adoption of a blend determine its register.
Can I invent my own blended words?
Yes, though whether they’ll be understood or catch on is another matter. For language learning, creating blends helps you understand how English words form. For actual communication, stick to established blends unless you’re being playful with friends.
Why is “selfie” now in the dictionary when it started as slang?
Words enter the dictionary when they become widespread enough that large populations use them. “Selfie” happened to fill a real gap (no simple word for a self-taken photo) and went viral thanks to social media. Its rapid adoption and utility got it dictionary recognition within a decade.
How do I recognize a blended word if I haven’t seen it before?
Try to split the word into two parts and see if you recognize both source words. For example, if you see “infomercial,” you might spot “info” (information) and “mercial” (commercial). If the combination makes sense, you’ve likely found a blend.
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