impersonate

verb

im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating

transitive verb

: to assume or act the character of : personate
impersonation noun
impersonator noun

Examples of impersonate in a Sentence

He was arrested for impersonating a police officer. a comedian with a talent for impersonating famous politicians and actors
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Scammers impersonating Social Security rank No. 2 on the list; scammers impersonating the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as Medicare, rank No. 3. Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 24 July 2025 Use identity theft protection to guard against online scams Once your personal data is compromised, scammers can open accounts, reroute your mail or impersonate you online. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2025 Marshal Goodnight faces charges including impersonating a peace officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a stun gun, possessing a baton and possessing a tear gas weapon, police said. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2025 The targets of such scams tend to be people over the age of 60, with Keegan also reporting on the case of a 73-year-old woman who lost some $100,000 to someone online impersonating Kevin Costner. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 16 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for impersonate

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impersonate was in 1715

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Impersonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impersonate. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

impersonate

verb
im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating
: to pretend to be some other person
impersonate a police officer
impersonation
-ˌpərs-ᵊn-ˈā-shən
noun
impersonator
-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər
noun

Legal Definition

impersonate

transitive verb
im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating
: to assume (another's or a fictitious identity) without authority and with fraudulent intent
impersonate a police officer
impersonated a public servant by saying he was from the water department
impersonator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impersonate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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