mime 1 of 2

Definition of mimenext
1
as in performer
an actor in a story performed silently and entirely by body movements that annoying mime on the sidewalk is pretending to be in an invisible box again

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2
as in gesture
a movement of the body or limbs that expresses or emphasizes an idea or feeling the speech-impaired patient had to convey his wishes with mime or scribbled notes

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mime

2 of 2

verb

as in to imitate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior as a joke, Eric knelt by the dinner table and began miming a dog begging for food

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mime
Noun
From ringmasters and lions to clowns and mimes, everyone went all out with their party attire. Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026 Expertise in using one’s body (think dancers or mimes). Big Think, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
Instead of getting upset himself, Busch mimed wiping away fake tears to the crowd. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 May 2026 Both actors mimed inflating like balloons. Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mime
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mime
Noun
  • Last week, Wilkins was named as being a performer at a Freedom 250 event to be held in Belgium June 28, opening for the Zac Brown Band.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 24 June 2026
  • Her collection preserves not only the traces of a public life, but evidence of a performer who refused to separate politics from performance and performance from ephemerality.
    Emilie Hardman, JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Many were disappointed that their families were not included in any kind of goodwill gesture.
    CBS News, CBS News, 21 June 2026
  • Reese won the first one with LSU while delivering a taunting gesture toward Clark along the way, but Clark and Iowa took the rematch in 2024.
    Terence Moore, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • Those still carry weight, but many have become easier to acquire, finance, or imitate.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • Once the squid gather near the surface, lines fitted with bait are lowered into the water and rapidly jerked up and down to imitate small prey such as shrimp, triggering strikes before the catch is reeled aboard.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • The tension between the two boils over into a confrontation which only Eisenhower can adjudicate, a task complicated by his own arrogant British subordinate, a wiry and dislikable General Bernard Montgomery - played with a villainous verve bordering on the pantomime by Damian Lewis.
    Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 29 May 2026
  • Service is vivacious almost to the point of pantomime.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • It may get bought, sold, copied and refreshed.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
  • Don’t ignore Apple, of course, but don’t try to copy them either—what’s sells MacBooks isn’t necessarily what sells PCs.
    Marco Chiappetta, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • The island village is beset by sea hags, serial killers, creepy clowns and other evils that interfere with Tom’s dream of turning Widow’s Bay into a Martha’s Vineyard-like tourist destination.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 17 June 2026
  • Even the announcers are laughing at the clown Way to swing the bat.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • Outfits such as The Bespoke Retreat Company, The Nest in Cornwall and Wales’ Coach House Retreat have emulated the solo aspect.
    Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 June 2026
  • The driveway boys emulated everybody on those rosters.
    Jason Kirk, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • There's that fish net aspect in there, the ruffles to mimic the coral, the pearls.
    Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 22 June 2026
  • Scientists agree some types of plastic can mimic fat, in particular in the brain, and that standardized methods are needed to sample and analyze plastic bits in the body.
    Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mime.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mime. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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