mime
noun
the art or technique of portraying a character, mood, idea, or narration by gestures and bodily movements; pantomime.
mime
American
[mahym, meem]
/ maɪm, mim /
noun
-
mimes
plural
-
the art or technique of portraying a character, mood, idea, or narration by gestures and bodily movements; pantomime.
-
an actor who specializes in this art.
-
an ancient Greek or Roman farce that depended for effect largely upon ludicrous actions and gestures.
-
a player in such a farce.
-
a jester, clown, or comedian.
verb (used with object)
-
mimes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
mimed,
past participle, past
-
miming
present participle
-
to mimic.
-
to act in mime.
verb (used without object)
-
mimes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
mimed,
past participle, past
-
miming
present participle
mime
1
British
/ maɪm /
noun
-
the theatrical technique of expressing an idea or mood or portraying a character entirely by gesture and bodily movement without the use of words
-
Also called: mime artist. a performer specializing in such a technique, esp a comic actor
-
a dramatic presentation using such a technique
-
-
a comic performance depending for effect largely on exaggerated gesture and physical action
-
an actor in such a performance
-
verb
-
to express (an idea) in actions or gestures without speech
-
(of singers or musicians) to perform as if singing (a song) or playing (a piece of music) that is actually prerecorded
MIME
2
British
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
mimesimple
-
mimessimple
-
have mimedperfect
-
has mimedperfect
-
am mimingprogressive
-
are mimingprogressive
-
is mimingprogressive
-
have been mimingperfect progressive
-
has been mimingperfect progressive
Past
-
mimedsimple
-
had mimedperfect
-
was mimingprogressive
-
were mimingprogressive
-
had been mimingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of mime
1610–20; < Latin mīmus < Greek mîmos imitator, mime, akin to mīmeîsthai to copy, imitate
Explanation
A mime is a performer who uses exaggerated facial expressions and body movements — instead of words — to communicate with his audience. You may have seen a mime pretending she's trapped in an invisible box, using gestures to make it appear that she is pushing against walls and a ceiling. Many mimes also wear clown-like makeup, wear simple clothing, and refuse to speak. You can use the word mime as a verb as well, to describe what you do when you imitate your least favorite teacher for the amusement of your friends. The Greek root word is mimos, "imitator, actor, or buffoon."
Vocabulary lists containing mime
Theater - Introductory
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Theater - Middle School
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Theater - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
During live shoots, however, background actors stay silent and mime their conversations, “a skill set in and of itself,” Gemmill says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
In the late 1980s, Ms Lloyd was studying at a school of mime in London where she befriended magician Jenny Winstanley.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2025
Style: Dylan performed in mime makeup and a broad-brimmed hat bedecked in flowers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2024
It was a typical day on the set of Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” and a dead mime was screaming.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2024
He kept shouting out the answer he was trying to mime, but it turned out he was really good at Monopoly.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
"Like this," she says, laughing as she mimes the song's signature perfume-spraying move.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
He fidgets with a pair of eyeglasses and points a knobby index finger to underscore a point, jiggles his leg restlessly and, at one point, mimes playing guitar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
She closes her eyes and mimes her head hitting a pillow.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2025
Bogotá’s unorthodox mayor, Antanas Mockus—who rose to fame after mooning student protesters and deployed mimes to control traffic—viewed the activity as a gambit “to achieve self-regulation in the behavior among citizens.”
From Slate ● Dec. 22, 2024
Unlike Western cities, Tiwanaku had no markets—no bazaars full of shouting, bargaining, conniving entrepreneurs; no street displays of produce, pottery, and plonk; no jugglers and mimes trying to attract crowds; no pickpockets.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Then he handed it to Goncalves, who mimed drinking from the ball before spiking it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
One audience member closed her eyes and mimed conducting as the artists played Mozart, while another tapped her caregiver's arm as if there were piano keys.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
Standing with one foot on the right peg of his bike in a half-pirouette, Miranda mimed pumping his other foot across the pavement as if propelling a scooter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2025
He pretended his group were teenagers from Chester, who mimed along to the video for the song.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2025
Fern and I mouthed and mimed hellos and goodbyes to each other, and he led her away.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
Alicia Washington’s direction was clear, though she was understandably flummoxed about how to stage musician characters who don’t play their instruments and resorted to miming and posing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 2025
Cage asks, repeating the absurd gesture Paul makes of miming drinking wine at a highfalutin dinner.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2024
Ward lobbed one up for receiver Kyle Williams, who beat cornerback Travis Hunter so thoroughly that he immediately held up his wrist, miming CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ signature celebration.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 18, 2023
The 10-second clip, captioned "when someone asks me how well I did at Eurovision" - ends with the 26-year-old miming "ask me another question".
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2023
Ma enjoyed the singing but clearly felt foolish in her feeble miming.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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