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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imitate
This provides my son with an opportunity to imitate me verbally and gesturally.
—
Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 20 Oct. 2025
How does this help democracy, imitating what Texas is doing?
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Some will welcome it; there is certainly an argument that the attempts to imitate Guardiola’s style, playing from the back against high-class opponents with a plan to press them into mistakes, led to some coaches leading their teams like lambs to the slaughter.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
One look at the Unitree Robotics YouTube channel tells you how the company is focused on training the G1 humanoid to perform actions and imitate humans.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitate
Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 20 Oct. 2025
How does this help democracy, imitating what Texas is doing?
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Some will welcome it; there is certainly an argument that the attempts to imitate Guardiola’s style, playing from the back against high-class opponents with a plan to press them into mistakes, led to some coaches leading their teams like lambs to the slaughter.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
One look at the Unitree Robotics YouTube channel tells you how the company is focused on training the G1 humanoid to perform actions and imitate humans.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitate
Verb
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Developed with the biomaterials innovation company Bolt, the Goddess formulation emulates the properties of spider silk, which is known for its strength and flexibility.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
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That is the spirit the Kennedy Institute will honor tonight, the ideal that guided its namesake’s work, and the worthy example that all who go to Washington to do the people’s business should strive to emulate.—
Martin J. Walsh,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This Halloween, the two-time Emmy Award-winning host is paying tribute to scary singles by parodying popular television dating shows of the past — and dressing as their male hosts.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Newsom has been trying to raise his national profile, adopting a combative style that parodies Trump’s social media strategy with similar all-caps posts, memes and merchandise.—
Adriana Gomez Licon,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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To recreate an extinct species exactly, evolution would have to reproduce not just its traits but its entire genetic code — an impossibly specific combination.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In recent days, the grassroots effort has spread, as messages offering and seeking assistance are cut, copied and pasted throughout communities big and small, connecting neighbors and finding those in need tangible help.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
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And while many of the pages are copied verbatim from Wikipedia, there are notable changes on topics relating to Musk, his enemies and allies, and his far-right politics.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Such is the brilliance of Wes Craven’s self-aware spin on serial-killer tropes, which manages to both mock a generation of teenagers raised on the campy likes of Friday the 13th and deliver honest scares in its own right.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
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Following the no-contest between Aspinall and Ciryl Gane, Jones mocked the injured champion with a silent but hilarious move on social media that quickly garnered attention.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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My introductory archaeology students try their hand at experimental archaeology by attempting to replicate a prehistoric bone awl (piercing tool).—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
28 Oct. 2025
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That phrase had replicated itself across web domains, YouTube channels, Twitter (now X) accounts, Facebook pages and WhatsApp groups.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The lax rules are being abused by people using services like Suno and Udio, where anyone can make an AI song that attempts to mimic a real artist in a matter of seconds.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
27 Oct. 2025
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Manicurist Brittney Boyce, Fox's go-to nail artist, mimicked that deep red color on the star's nails—with a modern, reflective cats-eye texture.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The company is also the only rubber manufacturer that can do full color digital printing on rubber, Hitt said.—
Sydney Sasser,
Arkansas Online,
30 Oct. 2025
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What Lewis is mostly in Denver to do, though, is block.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Imitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitate. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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