mutual

mutual — adjective

1. relating to feelings or actions that each person in a group directs toward the o

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

relating to feelings or actions that each person in a group directs toward the other person equally — for example, when two colleagues respect each other to the same degree, or when both sides in a deal trust each other.

Example

The two leaders expressed mutual respect during the trade negotiations.

collocation: mutual respect

Evelyn and Tendai built their business on mutual trust and open communication.

collocation: mutual trust

Common collocations
  • mutual respect
  • mutual trust
  • mutual understanding
  • mutual agreement
  • mutual benefit
  • mutual cooperation
  • mutual admiration
  • mutual affection
Synonyms
  • reciprocal

    more formal and often used in legal, scientific, or diplomatic contexts

  • two-way

    more informal and concrete; common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • one-sided

    describes feelings or actions that go in only one direction

Grammar Patterns

mutual + noun

be mutual

Usage Note

Commonly paired with abstract nouns such as respect, trust, understanding, and agreement. The phrase 'the feeling is mutual' is a fixed expression used when someone's negative feelings toward another person are returned.

Common Mistakes

They have a mutual good relationship.
They have a good relationship based on mutual respect.
'mutual' sounds unnatural with generic nouns like 'relationship' unless the reciprocity is explicitly relevant.
The mutual two friends helped each other.
The two mutual friends helped each other.
'mutual' comes before the noun it modifies, not before the number.

2. held in common between two sides — describing something that both parties have t

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

held in common between two sides — describing something that both parties have together, such as a friend, an interest, or a goal.

Example

Wren and Darius were surprised to discover a mutual love for jazz music.

collocation: mutual love for [something]

Adina met her business partner through a mutual acquaintance in Kyoto.

collocation: mutual acquaintance

Common collocations
  • mutual friend
  • mutual acquaintance
  • mutual interest
  • mutual goal
  • mutual benefit
  • mutual love for
  • mutual admiration for
Synonyms
  • common

    broader in meaning; 'common' can mean 'shared' but also 'ordinary'; 'mutual' is more precise for shared-by-two

  • joint

    suggests formal or official sharing, such as a joint bank account or joint venture

Antonyms
  • separate

    describes things not shared but held individually

Grammar Patterns

mutual + noun

Common Mistakes

We have a mutual same hobby.
We have a mutual hobby.
'mutual' already implies sameness; do not add 'same'.
This is mutual between you and I.
This is mutual between you and me.
Use the object pronoun 'me' after the preposition 'between'.

mutual — noun

Word family

  • mutually
    adverbB2
  • mutuality
    nounC1
  • mutualism
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a connection between two or more parties, but they differ in emphasis and register. 'Mutual' (everyday, broad) refers to feelings, actions, or states that two sides share equally — 'mutual respect,' 'mutual trust.' 'Reciprocal' is more formal and often used in legal, scientific, or diplomatic writing, where precise two-way exchange matters, as in 'reciprocal trade agreements' or 'reciprocal inhibition.' 'Joint' shifts the focus from the two-way nature to the shared ownership or responsibility: a 'joint account' belongs to both holders, and a 'joint decision' involves both parties equally, but the word does not imply that each side gives something back. 'Common' is the most general term — it simply means 'shared,' without specifying direction. A 'common goal' is one both parties work toward, but a 'common acquaintance' is known to both without any required exchange between them. In conversation, choose 'mutual' for emotional bonds and two-way dynamics, 'reciprocal' for formal agreements, 'joint' for shared possessions or responsibilities, and 'common' for general overlap.

mutual ↗reciprocaljoint ↗common ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • mutually

Phrases

  • by mutual consent
  • to our mutual benefit
  • a mutual friend of ours

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'mutual' comes from Latin 'mutuus,' meaning 'lent, borrowed, reciprocal, exchanged.' It entered English through Middle French 'mutuel' during the 1400s. The original Latin root carried the idea of a back-and-forth exchange — lending and borrowing between two people, which later broadened to describe any shared or two-way feeling or action. The noun senses (a mutual organization, a mutual friend, a mutual follower) are much more recent, emerging in the 1800s for financial institutions and in the 2000s for social media connections.