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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 imitator
Speaking of Ripley imitators, look no further than Saltburn.
—
Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Sep. 2025
Though Cox has a small role and Panettiere returns, the lack of legacy characters makes this feel like a cheap imitator at times.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
However, although Strategy’s strategy has inspired imitators, the risks remain substantial.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Critics started using the ungainly term Apatowian to describe his imitators.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
That instinct to merge craftsmanship with culture has kept him ahead of imitators.
—Janee Bolden, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
The LLMs behind generative agents and chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are certainly expert imitators.
—Webb Wright, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2025
Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the original crypto hoarder that’s inspired a flood of imitators, has amassed more than $72 billion worth of Bitcoin.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2025
Baxter stepped down in 1988, leaving behind a legacy that reshaped British children’s television and inspired countless imitators — none of which matched the original’s cultural impact.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Sep. 2025
Though Cox has a small role and Panettiere returns, the lack of legacy characters makes this feel like a cheap imitator at times.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
However, although Strategy’s strategy has inspired imitators, the risks remain substantial.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Critics started using the ungainly term Apatowian to describe his imitators.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
That instinct to merge craftsmanship with culture has kept him ahead of imitators.
—Janee Bolden, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
The LLMs behind generative agents and chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are certainly expert imitators.
—Webb Wright, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2025
Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the original crypto hoarder that’s inspired a flood of imitators, has amassed more than $72 billion worth of Bitcoin.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2025
Baxter stepped down in 1988, leaving behind a legacy that reshaped British children’s television and inspired countless imitators — none of which matched the original’s cultural impact.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitator
Noun
-
Another client of Meinadier’s is Zach Lugo, a skateboarder with 10 million TikTok followers who gained followers for his comedic content.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Lee, one of the few female religious leaders of the 18th century, and her followers were known for worshipping through ecstatic song and movement.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Young made history as the first Black performer to win two back-to-back Tony Awards and to be nominated four times in a row.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The evening will also include a moving tribute to those lost to cancer – including Gavin Creel, the beloved Broadway performer who passed away from cancer in September 2024 at just 48 years old.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The two manage to thrive together amid the decay and disorder of their East Hampton, New York mansion, making for an eerily ramshackle echo of the American Camelot.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Nvidia 's $100 billion mega investment in OpenAI was hailed as a sign of artificial intelligence's momentum as the chipmaker's rally continued to boost the broader stock market to a record, but seasoned investors said the move looked more like a troubling echo of past bubbles.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Dakota and Elle Fanning grew up in front of the cameras as child actors with impressive résumés.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Videos of the event showed the actor asking the crowd to make room for the ambulances.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Survivor began this season by introducing its biggest character through his enthusiasm, his story, and a lighthearted copycat routine.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
-
This restaurant copycat is easy to prepare, and incredibly rich and delicious.—
Christine Fiorentino,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The funniest part about that is Lisa Ann Walter is actually a really exceptional impressionist.—
Vlada Gelman,
TVLine,
16 Apr. 2025
-
The comedian and impressionist who has done his impressions to the faces of Michael Buble, Jeff Goldblum, Paul Giamatti and more will be at American Comedy Co. 8 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The wildly energetic feature tells the real-life story of Scottish wannabe rappers Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The capital of Texas, Austin is a bustling metropolis that attracts everyone from tech giants to wannabe Willie Nelsons.—
Amanda Ogle,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Many impersonators use details like your hometown, job or relatives to build trust.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Sep. 2025
-
The film’s deep bench of co-stars includes recent Oscar nominee Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s manager Jon Landau, recent Emmy winner Stephen Graham as Springsteen’s father, and recent uncanny Theo Vonn impersonator Marc Maron as Springsteen’s producer.—
Vulture Staff,
Vulture,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Imitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitator. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share