mirror

1.nounA2

Definition

a flat piece of specially coated glass that you look into and see your own face, your clothes, or other reflected images

Example

Eli checked his tie in the mirror before leaving for the wedding.

collocation: check (oneself) in the mirror

Steam from Sirin's hot shower had fogged up the bathroom mirror completely.

Common collocations

look in the mirror
check yourself in the mirror
mirror on the wall
rear-view mirror
full-length mirror
bathroom mirror

Synonyms

looking glass
old-fashioned term for a mirror, rarely used in everyday modern speech
reflection
not the object itself but the image you see in it; a mirror is the object, a reflection is the image

Usage Note

Commonly used with verbs like 'look in', 'check', 'gaze at', or 'study' when talking about examining one's own reflection.

Common Mistakes

I looked at mirror.

I looked in the mirror.

English requires the preposition 'in' (or 'into') when looking at a mirror to see your reflection.

2.nounB2

Definition

something that accurately shows or represents the real nature, situation, or character of another thing — for example, a newspaper article acting as a mirror of public opinion

Example

Felix's article about the hospital closure was a mirror of residents' long-held worries.

pattern: a mirror of something

Daichi's first poetry collection is a mirror of his childhood years spent on his grandparents' farm.

Common collocations

a mirror of society
a mirror of the times
hold a mirror to
serve as a mirror

Synonyms

reflection
more common than 'mirror' in the metaphorical sense; 'a reflection of the times' is more natural than 'a mirror of the times'
representation
broader term; a representation does not guarantee honesty, whereas a mirror implies truthful depiction

Antonyms

distortion
something that shows things in a misleading way, unlike a mirror that shows truly

Usage Note

Usually used in the singular with the pattern 'a mirror of [something]'. The verb 'hold a mirror to [something]' is a common fixed expression with this meaning.

Idioms

hold a mirror to something

idiom

to show or reveal the true nature of something, often something unpleasant, by reflecting it accurately

The documentary holds a mirror to the harsh realities faced by migrant workers.

Good literature holds a mirror to society and forces readers to think.

smoke and mirrors

idiom

the use of confusing or misleading information to hide the truth, especially in politics or business

The company's profit report was mostly smoke and mirrors designed to impress investors.

Voters are tired of the smoke and mirrors that politicians use during election campaigns.

1.verbtransitiveB2

Definition

to show or represent something in a way that is accurate, honest, and faithful to reality — for example, when news reports mirror the feelings of people affected by an event

Example

Kabir's documentary about the fishing village mirrors the daily struggles of families losing their livelihoods.

collocation: mirror the struggles / concerns / views of

Nia interviewed fifty shop owners to mirror their concerns about the new market regulations.

collocation: mirror the concerns of

Common collocations

mirror the concerns of
mirror the views of
mirror public opinion

Synonyms

reflect
more common in everyday speech; 'mirror' suggests a more direct and faithful one-to-one correspondence
capture
focuses on successfully representing the essence rather than the factual detail
convey
broader — stresses the act of communicating rather than the accuracy of representation

Antonyms

distort
to represent something in a misleading or twisted way

Usage Note

Often used with abstract objects such as concerns, views, feelings, trends, or experiences. Subject is commonly a report, study, statistic, or work of art.

2.verbtransitiveB2

Definition

to be extremely similar to something else, so that one thing looks or seems like a copy of the other — for example, when a child's behaviour mirrors a parent's

Example

The layout of the new park mirrors that of the famous gardens in Kyoto.

pattern: mirror + that of [something]

Emily's career path mirrors her mother's in many surprising ways.

Common collocations

mirror that of
mirror each other
mirror the pattern of

Synonyms

resemble
more neutral and general; 'mirror' suggests a more intentional or noticeable similarity
echo
implies similarity in style or mood rather than exact structural likeness

Antonyms

differ from
to be unlike or distinct from something else

Usage Note

Frequently used with the pattern 'mirror + that/those of [something]' to compare two things that share the same structure or pattern.

Common Mistakes

The two buildings mirror each other shape.

The two buildings mirror each other in shape.

'mirror' needs a context marker like 'in' when specifying the aspect of similarity.

3.verbtransitiveB1

Definition

to send a live copy of one gadget's display, such as a phone screen, onto another display using a cable or wireless connection

Example

Christopher mirrored his phone screen to the TV to show holiday photos.

pattern: mirror [device] screen to [device]

During the team meeting, Ignacio mirrored his laptop display onto the projector.

Common collocations

mirror screen to
mirror display onto
screen mirroring

Synonyms

cast
specifically used for streaming media (video/audio) rather than duplicating a full screen
project
broader; can mean displaying content on any larger surface, not necessarily wirelessly

Usage Note

Common in computing contexts. The prepositions 'to' and 'onto' indicate the target display. The noun form 'screen mirroring' is also widely used.

4.verbtransitiveC1

Definition

to adopt the same gestures, facial expressions, way of speaking, or posture as the person you are talking to, usually without being aware you are doing it, as part of natural social bonding

Example

During the job interview, the candidate kept mirroring the manager's body language.

collocation: mirror someone's body language

Babies often mirror their parents' facial expressions without any awareness of doing so.

Common collocations

mirror body language
mirror gestures
mirror speech patterns
mirror expressions

Synonyms

imitate
more general and often deliberate; 'mirror' specifically implies unconscious or rapport-driven copying
mimic
can suggest playful or mocking copying, unlike the neutral 'mirror' in this sense

Usage Note

Used especially in psychology, counselling, and sales contexts. The behaviour is typically unconscious, though the term can also describe deliberate techniques taught in rapport-building.

5.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2

Definition

to reflect light or an image in the same way that a physical mirror does — used especially in descriptive or literary writing about surfaces such as water, glass, or polished metal

Example

The still lake mirrored the full moon perfectly on that quiet night.

collocation: still/calm water mirrors [image]

The polished floor mirrored the warm glow of the candles above it.

Common collocations

water mirrors
surface mirrors
glass mirrors

Synonyms

reflect
the neutral everyday term for bouncing back light; 'mirror' as a verb feels more poetic or deliberate
catch
informal; 'the water caught the moonlight' — different imagery, capturing rather than reflecting

Usage Note

More common in literary or descriptive prose than everyday conversation. In everyday speech, 'reflect' is preferred for physical light bouncing off surfaces.

Word family

mirrored
adjectiveB2
mirroring
nounC1
mirrorless
adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe how one thing represents another, but they differ in emphasis. Mirror implies a direct, faithful, one-to-one correspondence — like a reflection in glass, with no distortion. Reflect is the most common everyday term; it can mean either physically bouncing back light or metaphorically showing something ('Her eyes reflected her sadness'), without the strong faithfulness that mirror suggests. Capture focuses on successfully seizing the essence or atmosphere of something ('The photo captures the joy of the moment') and is often used for art, photography, and descriptions. Convey is broader — it emphasizes the act of communicating information or feelings ('His tone conveyed disappointment') rather than the accuracy of the representation. Use mirror when you want to stress exact, honest correspondence; use reflect for general similarity; use capture for artistic or emotional essence; and use convey for communication of a message or feeling.

mirror ↗reflect ↗capture ↗convey ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

hold a mirror to
smoke and mirrors
a mirror of

Prepositions

in (the mirror)
into (the mirror)
to (mirror screen to)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'mirror' entered English around the 1200s from Old French 'mirour', which came from the Latin 'mirari' meaning 'to wonder at' or 'to admire'. The Latin root also gave us 'miracle', 'admire', and 'marvel'. The idea behind the word is not just seeing yourself, but wondering at what you see — a sense of awe and curiosity about the reflected image.

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mirror

mirror — noun

1. a flat piece of specially coated glass that you look into and see your own face,

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. something that accurately shows or represents the real nature, situation, or cha

Usage Note

hold a mirror to something

smoke and mirrors

mirror — verb

1. to show or represent something in a way that is accurate, honest, and faithful t

Usage Note

2. to be extremely similar to something else, so that one thing looks or seems like

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. to send a live copy of one gadget's display, such as a phone screen, onto anothe

Usage Note

4. to adopt the same gestures, facial expressions, way of speaking, or posture as t

Usage Note

5. to reflect light or an image in the same way that a physical mirror does — used

Usage Note

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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