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
Expertise in using one’s body (think dancers or mimes). Big Think, 6 Apr. 2026 The long-running music/movement/fantasy/comedy/mime/percussion performance spectacle took a hit last year when its standing companies in New York, Boston and Chicago all thumped their last drum full of blue paint. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
The clip features four male models — who look nothing like Catmen Anthony D’Amato, Mike Montali, Brian Dunne, and Don DiLego — miming their way through a performance of the song in Orson Welles-era black & white. Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2026 At the snap, the three tight ends – Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen – mimed a run block, just for a beat. Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mime
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mime
Noun
  • The third act included a portrayal of an accuser whose past settlement with the performer’s estate stipulated that he would never be dramatized, leading the film to be retooled.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Lee Sheward, a stunt coordinator and performer with credits including The Crown and Batman, relaunched the guild to boost employment opportunities for members and encourage collaboration within the stunt community.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Standing for the first time free of coffles on his feet, a man holds his broken chain aloft in a gesture that predates the Black Power fist that would become popular a century after this sculpture was hewn from rock.
    Tyehimba Jess, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Two team presidents sat inside the council chambers as the ordinance passed, more than a gesture of appreciation.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Then comes that particular way of speaking so well imitated by comedians Armando Roblan and Eddy Calderón during long seasons in Calle Ocho theaters and on Miami radio.
    Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Both of us remember childhood weekends spent recording our own camcorder sketch shows — Lee imitating Dana Carvey’s Ross Perot and Molly Shannon’s Mary Catherine Gallagher, Jenn pushing the boundaries of absurdism far past the point of actually getting laughs.
    Lee Kelly, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Talkative characters like the froggish Mallow and even Bowser himself are motor-mouthed and sarcastic, nigglingly mocking Mario for his inability to speak in anything other than nods and pantomimes.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
  • In other words, reconstruction in Gaza will remain a cruel diplomatic pantomime, while millions of people huddle in tents waiting for the next humanitarian aid box.
    Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Not to be redistributed, copied, or modified in any way.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
  • New York City has already banned gas stoves and furnaces in new buildings, and Albany is moving to copy California’s approach by requiring zero-emission vehicles for future car, pickup, and SUV sales.
    Nicole Malliotakis, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Once completed, the $5 million acquisition will ensure the theater has a permanent home, a place where skateboarding clowns and leek-haired onions can continue to frolic and dance for decades to come.
    Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Titaníque lets his inner clown soar, in drag yet, and with garish make-up just this side of Baby Jane Hudson and a mouth as foul as any David Mamet character.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Haliburton then emulated Miller by making the same choke gesture after his bouncing, buzzer-beating long 2-pointer forced overtime in Game 1 of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals — a game, and series, the Pacers would go on to win.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
  • With its citizen-friendly design and forward-looking engineering approach, this might be one for other countries to emulate in the years to come.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Rue takes to this teaching like the Torah, ogling the girls grinding for bills with a fervor that mimics that of a religious revelation.
    Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
  • When victims opened these links, they were directed to fraudulent websites designed to mimic legitimate ones.
    Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mime.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mime. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

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