1
as in to emulate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
teenage musicians who imitate whichever rock stars are hot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
imitating someone's stutter and laughing at them is a cruel thing to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to reproduce
to make an exact likeness of
a second-rate artist who was notorious for imitating the works of other painters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imitate
Some of the most notable moments show Atlas imitating human emotional reactions.
—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 June 2026
But much in the way that younger people will look to imitate their sporting heroes — sticking out their tongue while driving to the basket like Michael Jordan, standing over free-kicks like Ronaldo — a number of modern tennis players have added ‘vamos’ to their reserve.
—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
There is a growing belief that Jordanian stories do not need to imitate anyone else in order to find audiences.
—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
19 June 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for imitate
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 June 2026
But much in the way that younger people will look to imitate their sporting heroes — sticking out their tongue while driving to the basket like Michael Jordan, standing over free-kicks like Ronaldo — a number of modern tennis players have added ‘vamos’ to their reserve.
—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
There is a growing belief that Jordanian stories do not need to imitate anyone else in order to find audiences.
—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
19 June 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for imitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitate
Verb
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Outfits such as The Bespoke Retreat Company, The Nest in Cornwall and Wales’ Coach House Retreat have emulated the solo aspect.
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The driveway boys emulated everybody on those rosters.
Verb
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Comedy Central's South Park later parodied Mencia's reputation for taking credit for jokes that weren't his.
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Their live performances in Sydney’s drag scene parodied hyper-masculinity and soon moved into artist-run spaces with installations and video works.
Verb
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In organisms that reproduce via the union of types—this group also includes yeasts and slime molds—partners are functionally equivalent and the exchange of genetic material is symmetrical, an arrangement called isogamy.
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Under what’s called the sterile insect technique, the government breeds male screwworm flies that can’t reproduce, then releases them into the wild.
Verb
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It may get bought, sold, copied and refreshed.
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Don’t ignore Apple, of course, but don’t try to copy them either—what’s sells MacBooks isn’t necessarily what sells PCs.
Verb
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In the weeks leading up to the June 26 release of the film, men mocked 26-year-old Alcock’s appearance across social media.
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Each sketch was packed with mocking details, such as long red ties, Big Macs and lots and lots of gold, to drive home her point.
Verb
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Thermal chambers replicate the effects of heat and humidity on apparel donned by people or robot mannequins.
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That number traces back to a 2002 PET study with eight participants,4 and it has not been widely replicated, Alcaide noted.
Verb
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And each office door mimics a storefront similar to shopping arcade structures.
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Their beauty also shapes traditional dance in Rwanda, with graceful movements performed by women who extend their arms to mimic the cows’ horns.
Verb
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Smoke, salt, pepper and bark do the work.
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Mark Thompson does the costume and scenic design, with lighting by Howard Harrison.
Cite this Entry
“Imitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitate. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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