mr.
gb/mˈɪstɚ/ us/mˈɪstɚ/
A1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
A1
role
1
title used before a man’s name
A polite title for a man, used before his name.
Usage pattern:
Mr. + [surname/full name]
Common mistake:
In standard English, Mr. is usually used with a surname (Mr. Lee), not with a first name alone (not: Mr. John).
Synonyms
Mister (Same meaning; Mr. is the usual written abbreviation.)
Antonyms
Mrs. (female courtesy title, traditionally for a married woman.)
|
Ms. (female courtesy title that does not indicate marital status.)
|
Miss (female courtesy title, traditionally for an unmarried woman.)
Collocations
Mr. Smith
|Mr. Brown
|Mr. Patel
|Mr. Johnson
|Mr. President
|Mr. Speaker
|Dear Mr. [surname]
|Mr. [surname] said
|Mr. [surname] and Mrs. [surname]
|Thank you, Mr. [surname]
Themes
people
|names
|politeness
|writing
Examples
- Please call Mr. Davis to confirm the appointment.
- I sent the form to Mr. Ahmed this morning.
- Dear Mr. Walker, thank you for your email.
Learner examples
- Mr. King is my teacher.
- This letter is for Mr. Smith.
Noun
B1
role
2
used to refer to an unknown man
Used when you only know a man’s last name.
Usage pattern:
a Mr. + [surname]
Common mistake:
This pattern is for an unknown/unspecified person (a Mr. Lopez), not for directly addressing someone (Mr. Lopez).
Synonyms
a man named [surname] (More explicit; Mr. is more formal and concise.)
Collocations
a Mr. Smith
|a Mr. Taylor
|a Mr. Chen
|a Mr. Wilson
|a Mr. [surname] called
|a Mr. [surname] is waiting
|I spoke to a Mr. [surname]
|some Mr. [surname]
Themes
people
|conversation
|politeness
Examples
- A Mr. Harris called while you were out.
- There’s a Mr. Kim waiting at reception.
- I spoke to a Mr. O’Connor about the delivery.
Learner examples
- A Mr. Brown called you.
- A Mr. Lee is here to see you.
Grammar
Expressions
mr. and mrs.
1/mˈɪstɚ ˈænd mˈɪsɪz/
fixed phrase
formal
a married couple (names)
A way to talk about a husband and wife together.
Examples
- Mr. and Mrs. Garcia are hosting dinner on Saturday.
- The invitation was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson.
- We met Mr. and Mrs. Ali at the wedding.
mr. big
1/mˈɪstɚ bˈɪɡ/
fixed phrase
informal
the powerful boss behind things
A very important and powerful man.
Examples
- Everyone waited for Mr. Big to arrive before they started the meeting.
- He acts like Mr. Big, but he’s not the one making decisions.
- The report focuses on Mr. Big at the top of the organization.
mr. fix-it
1/mˈɪstɚ fˈɪks ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
man who repairs things
A person who can fix things.
Examples
- Whenever something breaks, he turns into Mr. Fix-It.
- We call my uncle Mr. Fix-It because he can repair anything.
- I’m no Mr. Fix-It, so I hired a plumber.
mr. nice guy
1/mˈɪstɚ nˈaɪs ɡˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
informal
man who acts overly nice
A man who acts very nice, sometimes not honestly.
Examples
- He acts like Mr. Nice Guy, but he can be pretty controlling.
- Stop playing Mr. Nice Guy and tell her what you really think.
- Everyone loves him at work because he’s Mr. Nice Guy.
mr. nobody
1/mˈɪstɚ nˈoʊbˌɑdi/
fixed phrase
informal
an unimportant unknown man
A person that nobody knows or cares about.
Examples
- He felt like Mr. Nobody in a room full of executives.
- To the press, he was Mr. Nobody until the story broke.
- I’m just Mr. Nobody, but I know what I saw.
mr. right
1/mˈɪstɚ ɹˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
the ideal romantic partner
The perfect man to date or marry.
Examples
- She’s convinced she’s finally met Mr. Right.
- He seemed like Mr. Right at first, but they wanted different things.
- I’m not looking for Mr. Right—I just want someone kind.