1
as in follower
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way
an Elvis imitator in a sequinned jumpsuit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in performer
a person who imitates another's voice and mannerisms for comic effect
that comedian is a hilarious imitator of a surprising array of current celebrities
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Recent Examples of imitator
Baseball is a copycat league, and success breeds imitators.
—
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
In Karp’s telling, Basquiat is someone who Just Did Things, like today’s defense tech founders, who possess a similar kind of creative conviction, as opposed to the consumer tech imitators of yesteryear.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
This cheesecake imitator is delicious topped with fresh strawberries, but other fruits can be substituted, such as pineapple or peaches.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
This is the first Hitchcock film that fully crystallizes his distinct sense of dark humor, which is one of the key elements that sets his thrillers apart from those of his contemporaries and imitators.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Swimbaits, stick baits, creature baits, crawfish imitators, and big ribbontail worms will all catch fish on a Texas rig.
—Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
For decades, Gallup’s company and its imitators improved their techniques.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Along the way, the festival has outlasted many imitators and weathered shifting food trends by staying nimble.
—Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The imitators are increasingly convincing, especially as AI image and video generators get better by the day.
—John Whyte, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
In Karp’s telling, Basquiat is someone who Just Did Things, like today’s defense tech founders, who possess a similar kind of creative conviction, as opposed to the consumer tech imitators of yesteryear.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
This cheesecake imitator is delicious topped with fresh strawberries, but other fruits can be substituted, such as pineapple or peaches.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
This is the first Hitchcock film that fully crystallizes his distinct sense of dark humor, which is one of the key elements that sets his thrillers apart from those of his contemporaries and imitators.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Swimbaits, stick baits, creature baits, crawfish imitators, and big ribbontail worms will all catch fish on a Texas rig.
—Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
For decades, Gallup’s company and its imitators improved their techniques.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Along the way, the festival has outlasted many imitators and weathered shifting food trends by staying nimble.
—Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The imitators are increasingly convincing, especially as AI image and video generators get better by the day.
—John Whyte, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitator
Noun
-
TikTok followers watched along as Jessica Kayll, who designs colorful silk robes, finished painting her dress in the days leading up to the gala.—
Beatrice Dupuy,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
-
By then, Church had a band of followers.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Once again charming viewers with his native Australian accent, the actor remains effortlessly entertaining while using his charisma to neutralize caustic dialogue that would flatten a less likable performer on impact.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
-
Electronics company Ibiden was the top performer, climbing 17%, while manufacturing and metals company Mitsui Kinzoku gained 16%.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
But does that have echoes in what’s going on outside our window?—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
-
In an echo of Pliny the Younger’s account, the second skeleton, that of a somewhat older man, was found with a terracotta bowl near his head.—
Anne Doran,
ARTnews.com,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The actor and longtime Knicks fan donned a blue suit with an orange tie on the red carpet.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
-
Musician Beyoncé, actor Nicole Kidman and tennis star Venus Williams serve as co-hosts alongside magazine executive Anna Wintour, who has long spearheaded the event.—
Dalila Muata,
NBC news,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
Upstairs, impressionists, writers, socialites, and painters who moved in Proust’s orbit, from Sarah Bernhardt to Emile Zola and Claude Monet, lent their names to a room or suite.—
Lindsey Tramuta,
Robb Report,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The awards show is set for March 31, with stand-up comedian, actor and impressionist Matt Friend as host.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
From across the barbecue pit, see an Elvis impersonator, full pompadour over skinny jeans, plus a girlfriend who looks exactly like Priscilla.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
For Oakley, being a drag king is about challenging masculinity rather than impersonating someone, which is what older male impersonators have traditionally done.—
Nicole Macias Garibay,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The entertainer gained notoriety on social media in the late 2010s for his sketches mocking niche everyday scenarios.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
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Wilson, the reigning entertainer of the year at the ACMs, will be defending her title against a first-time contender in that category, Moroney, along with Stapleton, Johnson, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The sounds green noise mimics do have some research behind them, though.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Her jokester father worked for a railway; her realtor mother was a gifted mimic whose impressions of clients enlivened family dinners.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitator. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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