copy 1 of 2

Definition of copynext

copy

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to reproduce
to make an exact likeness of for the movie, set designers copied the Oval Office in the White House down to the smallest detail

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to imitate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior she shamelessly copies her idol's hairstyle and fashion choices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun copy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of copy are duplicate, facsimile, replica, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When might duplicate be a better fit than copy?

While the synonyms duplicate and copy are close in meaning, duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When would facsimile be a good substitute for copy?

The words facsimile and copy can be used in similar contexts, but facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

Where would replica be a reasonable alternative to copy?

Although the words replica and copy have much in common, replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details, but not always in the same scale.

a replica of the Mayflower
miniature replicas of classic cars

In what contexts can reproduction take the place of copy?

The words reproduction and copy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of copy
Noun
But these covers were never going to be copies of the originals. Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 17 June 2026 The dispatch Buried in my loft, alongside decades-old reporter’s notebooks, is a collection of volumes each about the size of a copy of Vanity Fair — albeit not as glossy — containing lists of brokers’ analysts. Ian King, CNBC, 17 June 2026
Verb
Pick it up in dark chestnut to copy the actress’s style, or choose from six additional shades. Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026 Alejo switches back to speakerphone and stays silent, copying the numbers Elizabeth is asking for from Flores’ enrollment paperwork in big block letters so Flores can read them aloud. Megan Greenwell, Bloomberg, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for copy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copy
Noun
  • But the country’s key tool for suppressing the pest — a facility that breeds sterile flies to halt reproduction of the parasite — isn’t slated to begin operating until November 2027.
    Ilena Peng, Fortune, 13 June 2026
  • Perhaps Abby pursues the reproduction of human experience to counter the void of her own life.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Once a specific constraint is imposed, the mathematical model reproduces the exact behavior of the original nonreciprocal flock.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026
  • This article originally appeared in Spektrum der Wissenschaft and was reproduced with permission.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • The undulating roofline imitates the Allegheny Mountains, and 38 steel columns create a canopy reminiscent of the region's forests, Prix Versailles says.
    Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 15 June 2026
  • As a 7-year-old, I’d entertain my father’s friends, at their weekly pickup game at a Bronx barn-house gymnasium, by imitating his game face—bottom lip jutting, eyes scowling.
    Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
Noun
  • Stop in Jackson Park to tour the new Obama Presidential Center, with interactive exhibits, a life-sized Oval Office replica, and a panoramic Sky Room overlooking Chicago.
    Midwest Living, Midwest Living, 12 June 2026
  • While the original fort no longer stands, a full-scale replica of the original was built and opened to the public in 2025.
    Amy Galo, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • The researchers explored how to grow grass in indoor stadiums that lack plant-sustaining sunlight, collecting data in a shade structure FIFA constructed at the University of Tennessee to replicate conditions of a domed stadium.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
  • Those raw emotions and moments of shared experience, which can be so hard to find in a fractured society, will be replicated all over the world in the coming weeks, bring families, communities and entire nations together, uniting them in hope, joy and, of course, despair.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • In that sense, Hollywood isn’t becoming Detroit so much as emulating it.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 16 June 2026
  • Countless films have tried to emulate its greatness since, but The French Connection is the modern blueprint of the genre for a reason.
    Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Prior to that, Copilot generated its response using raw HTML, which is temporarily rendered in the browser DOM.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026
  • Paramedics responded and rendered aid to the man before pronouncing him dead at the scene.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • There was no call – and the story repeated itself seconds later when Bridges took a hand to the face from a Spurs defender.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • Now many who helped build this movement say the next generation must continue fighting to be seen to be heard, and never take for granted how quickly history can repeat itself.
    Darius Johnson, CBS News, 13 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Copy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copy. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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