melts

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A hot sandwich with melted cheese, often with other fillings, pressed or grilled until the cheese melts.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a tuna melt' or 'two melts'.

   Patterns

   • a cheese melt
   • a tuna melt
   • order a melt

   I ordered a tuna melt for lunch.

   The diner serves a great ham and cheese melt.

   She made a quick tomato melt in the oven.

2. 2verbintransitive

   Third-person singular present of 'melt': becomes liquid when heated.

   Grammar: No object; used with he, she, it, or a singular noun.

   Patterns

   • something melts
   • the snow melts

   The butter melts quickly in a hot pan.

   Ice melts at zero degrees Celsius.

   The chocolate melts if you hold it too long.

3. 3verbtransitive

   Third-person singular present of 'melt': makes something become liquid by heating it.

   Grammar: Takes an object: melt the butter.

   Patterns

   • melt something
   • melt butter

   She melts the cheese over the pasta.

   He melts the chocolate for the cake.

   The sun melts the snow on the roof.

Word forms

Common combinations

tuna melt

The tuna melt is a popular lunch item.

cheese melt

Kids love a simple cheese melt.

patty melt

A patty melt is a burger on grilled bread with cheese.

melt in your mouth

These cookies melt in your mouth.

Synonyms and how they differ

grilled cheese

A grilled cheese is usually just bread and cheese, while a melt often includes meat or other fillings.

Word family

melt verb

To become liquid or make something liquid by heating.

melting adjective

Describing something that is becoming liquid, or very hot.

melted adjective

Having become liquid through heat.

Commonly confused: melts or melt?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “melts”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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