Meaning & use
mint condition
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
The state of looking brand new, with no marks, wear or damage.
Grammar: Often used after in: the car is in mint condition. It can also come before a noun with a hyphen: a mint-condition comic.
Patterns
- in mint condition
- a mint-condition something
The vintage radio is still in mint condition after fifty years.
He sold the comic book, which was in mint condition, for a high price.
The bike looked mint condition when she bought it second-hand.
Common combinations
- in mint condition
- The toy is still in mint condition, with the original box.
- remain in mint condition
- The coins remained in mint condition in their case.
- mint-condition collectible
- Buyers pay extra for a mint-condition collectible.
- keep in mint condition
- He kept the record in mint condition by never playing it.
- almost mint condition
- The sofa is in almost mint condition.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pristine
- Pristine is a general adjective for untouched cleanliness, while mint condition is mostly used for objects that people collect or sell.
- immaculate
- Immaculate stresses spotless cleanness, and is used for rooms or clothes as well as collectibles.
- as good as new
- As good as new is chattier and suggests something was used or repaired, whereas mint condition suggests no use at all.
- perfect
- Perfect is a broad word of praise and does not tell the listener that the item is unused.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: mint condition or minty?
mint condition vs minty
Minty means tasting or smelling of mint the herb, and has nothing to do with perfect condition.
Practice
The collector refused to touch the trading card because it was in ___ condition.
Choose one answer.
Mint condition is the fixed phrase for perfect, unused items. Minty refers to the herb, and the other options do not form a phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mint condition”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.