What does "pantomime" mean?
A Classical comic actor, especially one who works mainly through gesture and mime.
Pantomime
/ˈpæn.təˌmaɪm/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A Classical comic actor, especially one who works mainly through gesture and mime.
- Grammar: pantomime is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: mime, act, act a part, act as.
- Useful contrasts: nonpantomime, speak, speech.
- Usage evidence: He acted out a pantomime at the party.
How to use "pantomime"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pantomime" 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 "pantomime" 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 "pantomime" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pantomime" 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 "pantomime" is acting as 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 "mime" 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 "pantomime", 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 Classical comic actor, especially one who works mainly through gesture and mime. archaic, countable, uncountable
"[He] saw a pantomime perform so well that he could follow the performance from the action alone."
- 2 a performance using gestures and body movements without words wordnet
- 3 The drama in ancient Greece and Rome featuring such performers; or (later) any of various kinds of performance modelled on such work. Ancient-Rome, countable, uncountable
- 4 A traditional theatrical entertainment, originally based on the commedia dell'arte, but later aimed mostly at children and involving physical comedy, topical jokes, call and response, and fairy-tale plots. UK, countable, uncountable
"With the Stoke supporters jeering Ziv's every subsequent touch, the pantomime atmosphere created by the home crowd reached a crescendo when Ziv was shown a straight red shortly after the break in extraordinary circumstances."
- 5 The act of gesturing without speaking; a dumb-show, a mime. countable, uncountable
"A staid, steadfast man, whose life for the most part was a telling pantomime of action, and not a tame chapter of sounds."
Verb
- 1 To make (a gesture) without speaking. transitive
"I pantomimed steering a car; he understood, and tossed the keys to me."
- 2 act out without words but with gestures and bodily movements only wordnet
- 3 To entertain others by silent gestures or actions. transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"He acted out a pantomime at the party."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pantomime"?
Common synonyms include: mime, act, act a part, act as, act as foil, act out.
How do you use "pantomime" in a sentence?
He acted out a pantomime at the party.
How do you pronounce "pantomime"?
Pronounced /ˈpæn.təˌmaɪm/.
Etymology
First appears c. 1606, from Latin pantomīmus, from Ancient Greek παντόμιμος (pantómimos), from πᾶς (pâs, “each, all”) + μιμέομαι (miméomai, “I mimic”). The verbal form first appears c. 1768.