rearview mirror

noun

rear·​view mirror ˈrir-ˌvyü- 

variants or rearview

plural rearview mirrors or rearviews

1

: a mirror (as in an automobile) that gives the driver a view of the area behind a vehicle

The air fresheners that dangle from rearview mirrors have been a ubiquitous accessory in cars for decades.

—Mike Baker and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs

Another car's headlights appeared in her rearview—the first she'd seen since … turning onto Route 60.

—Erin Brockovich and C. J. Lyons

2

: past entry 3

—used in phrases like in the rearview mirror and in one's rearview mirror

With the midterm elections barely in the rearview mirror, the competition is heating up among states trying to move up in the presidential primary lineup.

—Alex Seitz-Wald and Natasha Korecki

Siakam was coming off shoulder surgery as well. … But Siakam put all that in his rearview mirror and never looked back, finishing with career highs in rebounds and assists …

—Mike Ganter

After Zayn Malik abruptly departed from One Direction in 2015, he largely left the band in his rearview.

—Larisha Paul

… [rappers] Killer Mike and El-P, both of whom had left rap's zeitgeist in their rearviews long ago …

—Tom Breihan

Examples of rearview mirror in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With the 2024 election and U.N. climate conference firmly in the rearview mirror, climate policy discussions have hit a feverpitch in the U.S. capital as companies, advocates, and officials try to figure out the new rules of the road. —Justin Worland, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024

With the presidential election in the rearview mirror, the wait-and-see approach has turned into a better-buy-now attitude, bringing a surge in new vehicle sales that will continue into 2025, according to industry insiders. —Elissa Robinson, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2024

Now, of course, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are in the rearview mirror. —Greg McKenna, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2024

The point is, a franchise that used to routinely dismantle opponents doesn’t have to look too far in the rearview mirror to find duds on par with this one. —Chad Graff, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rearview mirror

noun

rear·​view mirror ˌri(ə)r-ˌvyü- 

: a mirror (as in a car) that gives a view to the rear