miming

IPA/maɪm/

1.nounB2

Definition

An art form in which performers use only the face, hands, and body to share a tale or show a feeling — no words at all.

Example

Roya took up miming after seeing a silent street performer in Tehran.

collocation: took up miming

The miming class at the community centre filled up within two days.

Common collocations

the art of miming
miming workshop
miming and dance
study miming
a piece of miming

Synonyms

pantomime
in American English, refers to the same silent art form; in British English, pantomime is a comic theatre tradition with spoken dialogue
dumbshow
an older or literary term for miming, especially in the context of Renaissance theatre

2.nounB2

Definition

A street or stage artist who acts out scenes using no speech, relying only on facial expression and bodily movement.

Example

A miming in a silver suit stood frozen outside the train station all morning.

The children dropped coins into the hat of the miming on Bridge Street.

Common collocations

a street miming
a talented miming
work as a miming
train as a miming

Synonyms

mime
the more common term for a silent performer; 'miming' as a countable noun for a person is rarer
mime artist
a formal term emphasising the artistic or professional dimension

Usage Note

Countable; usually preceded by 'a' or 'the'. The form 'mime' is more widely used for this meaning.

3.nounB2

Definition

A brief dramatic piece told entirely through movement, with every word replaced by a gesture.

Example

The students wrote and performed a short miming about life during the pandemic.

Each guest at the party had to guess what the miming was about.

Common collocations

perform a miming
write a miming
a short miming
a silent miming

Synonyms

mime piece
a slightly more formal way to refer to a single miming performance
pantomime
can refer to a single silent piece in American usage; in British usage, typically refers to a different theatrical genre

mimingpresent simple I / you / we / they
mimings3rd person singular
miminging-ing form
mimingedpast simple

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2

Definition

To get a message across or portray a scene using only hand shapes, facial changes, and body positions, with no spoken language.

Example

Rohan mimed opening a door and stepping through it, though nothing was there.

mimed + -ing clause

When Amani lost her voice, she mimed what she needed to the shopkeeper.

Common collocations

mime something out
mime with one's hands
mime an action

Synonyms

gesture
everyday hand and body movements that accompany or replace speech; less theatrical than miming
gesticulate
to wave your arms about while speaking, often with emotion; not silent performance
pantomime
to act something out silently, closely overlapping with mime

Grammar Patterns

mime + -ing clause

mime + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often followed by an -ing clause or a noun phrase naming the action being shown. Distinguish from sense 3 (COPY FOR COMEDY): this sense is about communication and narration, not mockery.

Common Mistakes

She mimed to him that she was hungry.

She mimed eating to show him she was hungry.

You mime the action itself, not 'to' the person; the person is shown indirectly through the action.

2.verbtransitiveB1

Definition

To shape the words of a song or speech with your mouth while staying completely silent — as if performing, but producing no voice.

Example

Hannah mimed the words to the national anthem because she had forgotten the lyrics.

mimed + direct object (the words)

The band mimed their hit song on the morning television show last Friday.

Common collocations

mime the words
mime a song
mime along to
mime playing

Synonyms

lip-sync
specifically for mouthing the words to a recorded song; narrower than mime in this sense, which can also cover pretending to play an instrument
mouth
to form words with your lips without making a sound, often used when helping someone remember what to say

Grammar Patterns

mime + noun phrase

mime + -ing clause

Usage Note

The object is typically a song, speech, or instrumental performance. Frequently used about TV appearances where performers pretend to sing or play live.

Common Mistakes

She mimed to the track.

She mimed the song.

In this sense, mime takes a direct object (the song, the words); it is not followed by 'to'.

3.verbtransitiveB2

Definition

To copy the way somebody moves, speaks, or behaves, with the aim of amusing others by exaggerating their quirks.

Example

Eve mimed the manager's stiff walk, and everyone in the office burst out laughing.

mimed + person's mannerism for comic effect

At the party, Rohan mimed the politician's speech so perfectly that nobody could breathe.

Common collocations

mime someone's walk
mime a teacher
mime the way someone talks

Synonyms

mimic
to copy someone's voice or behaviour, with or without comic intent; broader and more common than mime in this sense
imitate
the most general term for copying someone; neutral in tone, whereas mime (sense 3) suggests comedy
parody
a structured comic imitation, often of a whole performance or style rather than a single mannerism

Grammar Patterns

mime + person

mime + person's mannerism

Usage Note

Always implies a comic or mocking intention. Distinguish from verb sense 1 (ACT WITH GESTURES): that sense is about communicating information silently, whereas this sense is about imitating a specific person to entertain.

Common Mistakes

He mimed his colleague to insult him.

He mimicked his colleague to insult him.

Sense 3 of mime is light-hearted and comic; for mean-spirited imitation, use 'mimic' or 'mock' instead.

Word family

mime
nounB2
mime
verbB2
mimic
verbB2
mimic
nounB2
mimicry
nounC1
mimetic
adjectiveC2
mimesis
nounC2
pantomime
nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Miming is a structured art form where the performer creates characters and stories using only body movement, without props or speech. Pantomime, especially in British English, refers to a specific kind of comic family theatre with songs, audience participation, and spoken dialogue — quite different from silent miming. Charades is a parlour game where players silently act out a word or phrase for others to guess; it borrows from miming but is purely recreational. Gesture refers to the everyday hand and body movements that accompany speech — a wave, a nod, a shrug — rather than a sustained performance. Sign language is a complete linguistic system with its own grammar and vocabulary, used primarily by deaf communities; it is not miming, though both are visual. If you see a performer on stage trapped in an invisible box, that is miming; if your friend waves hello across the street, that is gesture.

pantomime ↗charadesgesture ↗sign language

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

a piece of miming
the art of miming

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'mime' traces back to the Greek 'mimos' and Latin 'mimus', both meaning 'imitator' or 'actor'. It entered English through Old French. The -ing form 'miming' developed as the gerund and present participle of 'mime', coming to name both the activity and, less commonly, the person who performs it.

First known use

1616

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb

Entries near

Previous entries

Next entries

miming

miming — noun

1. An art form in which performers use only the face, hands, and body to share a ta

2. A street or stage artist who acts out scenes using no speech, relying only on fa

Usage Note

3. A brief dramatic piece told entirely through movement, with every word replaced

miming — verb

1. To get a message across or portray a scene using only hand shapes, facial change

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. To shape the words of a song or speech with your mouth while staying completely

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. To copy the way somebody moves, speaks, or behaves, with the aim of amusing othe

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Entries near

Entries near