1
as in imitation
using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model
your writing style tends to be imitative of whichever author you've recently read
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in synthetic
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials
an imitative extract never has the flavor of the real thing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imitative
It may be borrowed or coined, named after a person, inspired by a place or imitative of a sound.
—
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
Conversations in dorm rooms and lecture halls consist of roughly 97% university-loathing and imitative protests to fire coaches and athletic directors.
—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Third-party imitative learning from an immigrating parrot’s flockmates may facilitate overall group integration and social bonding and may even give rise to cultural conventions of coordinated movements or gestures.
—
Grrlscientist,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
In Roeck’s picture, competitive, rather than imitative, habits of mind rose from religious warfare, establishing a cutthroat system of cultural and economic innovation which lasts to this day.
—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitative
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
Conversations in dorm rooms and lecture halls consist of roughly 97% university-loathing and imitative protests to fire coaches and athletic directors.
—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Third-party imitative learning from an immigrating parrot’s flockmates may facilitate overall group integration and social bonding and may even give rise to cultural conventions of coordinated movements or gestures.
—
Grrlscientist,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
In Roeck’s picture, competitive, rather than imitative, habits of mind rose from religious warfare, establishing a cutthroat system of cultural and economic innovation which lasts to this day.
—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitative
Adjective
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It’s supposed to be mimetic of speech.
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One of the most delightful examples of mimetic architecture along Route 66, this West Hollywood gem does exactly what the structure suggests: serves mouthwatering hot dogs.
Adjective
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Another major player is Prodigy, which has created potentially dangerous Hybrids, synthetic lifeforms that contain the consciousnesses of terminally ill children.
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Compared with synthetic fibers, which slough off microplastics that pollute waterways, land and air, natural fibers can be grown or raised in ways that sequester carbon, improve soil health and reduce inputs like pesticides, resulting in a lower environmental footprint, Pingree said.
Adjective
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And their movies don’t get more formulaic than the new odd couple-style comedy starring John Cena and Eric André.
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Job listings have become so formulaic that even strong candidates scroll past them without a second look.
Adjective
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Vxhinqy Crossbody Phone Strap With a faux leather strap, this universal lanyard is made for travelers who want both comfort and security.
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Mavericks fans staged a faux funeral complete with a casket a day later in front of the Dirk Nowitzki statue outside American Airlines Center.
Adjective
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After a season of travel, video and phone calls and texts speaking with agents, scouts, coaches, family members and those around these players, here is my final mock draft for the 2026 NHL Draft.
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The mock-neck adds a chic touch, and the color selection is genuinely impressive.
Adjective
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These displays of simulated compassion can evolve into romance scams or attempts to defraud beneficiaries out of inheritance money.
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And the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, which oversees prediction markets, has previously brought enforcement actions against companies using simulated trades or making unrealistic claims about winnings.
Adjective
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The film's trailer looked unoriginal and uninteresting.
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The first stage began in July 2025, when Meta announced comprehensive measures targeting accounts that repeatedly share unoriginal content without meaningful enhancement, building on enforcement actions that had already been taken against 500,000 accounts in the first half of the year.
Adjective
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Besides rockets, Elon Musk’s company also owns the xAI artificial-intelligence business.
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During the first half of his temporary term as interim county executive, LeVota introduced a pair of tax policies intended to create retroactive, artificial 15% caps on the valuation increases of residential properties in the 2023 cycle, and commercial properties in the 2025 cycle.
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Imitative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitative. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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