What does "mime" mean?
A form of acting without words; pantomime.
Mime
/maɪm/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A form of acting without words; pantomime.
- Grammar: mime is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: pantomime, pantomimist, act, act a part.
- Useful contrasts: articulate, demonstrate, narrate.
- Usage evidence: I cannot mime Ken in presence of the teacher.
How to use "mime"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mime" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mime" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mime" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mime" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mime" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "pantomime" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mime", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A form of acting without words; pantomime. countable, uncountable
"[Silence] demands returning to the self, to innocence and a portrayal of situations as if all the particulars were completely unknown to the viewer. There are no props but the muscular versatility of the human form. Mime is the one thing that truly proves we can be all things."
- 2 a performance using gestures and body movements without words wordnet
- 3 A pantomime actor. countable, uncountable
- 4 an actor who communicates entirely by gesture and facial expression wordnet
- 5 A classical theatrical entertainment in the form of farce. countable, uncountable
"The mimes were packed with lascivious gestures and movements, and usually presented erotic scenes, on occasion farcically treated."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A performer of such a farce. countable, uncountable
- 7 A person who mimics others in a comical manner. countable, uncountable
- 8 Any of various papilionid butterflies of the genus Chilasa or Papilio, that mimic other species in appearance. countable, uncountable
- 9 A unit of imitation in the theory of symbiosism. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To mimic.
- 2 act out without words but with gestures and bodily movements only wordnet
- 3 To act without words. intransitive
- 4 imitate (a person or manner), especially for satirical effect wordnet
- 5 To represent an action or object through gesture, without the use of sound.
"In this game, you're given a word, which you have to mime to the others in the group."
Proper Noun
- 1 Acronym of Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (“an Internet standard that extends the formatting and content capabilities of email”). abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I cannot mime Ken in presence of the teacher."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mime"?
Common synonyms include: pantomime, pantomimist, act, act a part, act as, act as foil.
How do you use "mime" in a sentence?
I cannot mime Ken in presence of the teacher.
How do you pronounce "mime"?
Pronounced /maɪm/.
Etymology
Possibly from Middle English *mime, from Old English mīma (“a buffoon, jester, mime”), from Latin mimus, from Ancient Greek μῖμος (mîmos, “imitator, actor”), but more likely re-borrowed in modern times from French mime (“mimic actor”), from the same source.