melting pot
4 synonyms and 0 antonyms for melting pot, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A place or society where people of many different nationalities, cultures and backgrounds live together and blend into something new.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A place or society where people of many different nationalities, cultures and backgrounds live together and blend into something new.
“New York has always been a melting pot of languages and cuisines.”
2. noun literal
A vessel used for melting metal or other solids.
“The scrap goes straight into the melting pot and comes out as ingots.”
How to Use Melting Pot
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral to positive in most writing, but treat it with care in discussions of assimilation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a melting pot and a salad bowl?
A melting pot suggests different cultures blending into one shared identity, with distinct traditions fading. A salad bowl, sometimes called a mosaic, suggests groups living together while keeping their separate identities intact.
Is calling a country a melting pot a compliment?
It usually praises diversity and openness, but some people object to it because it implies minority cultures should dissolve into the majority. Salad bowl or mosaic are often preferred for that reason.