Definition of impersonatenext
1
as in to imitate
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior a school intruder was caught trying to impersonate a teacher

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to portray
to present a portrayal or performance of interpreters at the living history museum impersonate figures who are known to have actually lived in the colonial town

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 impersonate If public-key cryptography becomes breakable, attackers can impersonate services, weaken the handshakes that set up secure sessions and forge signatures that make malicious code look legitimate. Kumar Mehta, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 Jason Hobby was arrested by the Larimer County Sheriff's Office following the July 29, 2024 fire and charged with first-degree arson, along with several other offenses including impersonating a peace officer, menacing and false imprisonment. Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 25 June 2026 Scammers may use personal information to impersonate companies or officials. Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 22 June 2026 In an effort to conceal the causes of death, Sit impersonated the owners and had the dogs cremated, according to prosecutors. Seamus Bozeman follow, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for impersonate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impersonate
Verb
  • Here was a government that had explicitly borrowed from Beijing’s developmental playbook and sincerely attempted to imitate it, but failed.
    Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • These are glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists that imitate a natural hormone in the gut.
    Stephanie Stephens, USA Today, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Matty Matheson, who portrays Neil Fak and serves as the show’s culinary consultant, initially believed taking props was off limits after receiving an email asking to refrain from removing anything from the show.
    Kirsten Acuna, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
  • Winkler portrayed his iconic character for all 11 seasons of the ABC sitcom, which originally aired from 1974 to 1984.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • In the weeks leading up to the June 26 release of the film, men mocked 26-year-old Alcock’s appearance across social media.
    Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026
  • 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.
    Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Win prizes playing interactive games, network with artists and entrepreneurs and enjoy signature drinks and bar snacks available for purchase.
    Lesly Gregory, AJC.com, 1 July 2026
  • Men leaders can pay attention to and be mindful of who in the workplace may be playing more of an emotional support role that falls outside their job description.
    Holly Corbett, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Till’s motifs swept though the ensemble, as horns, clarinets, bassoons, violin all had a chance to personate the character.
    BY LIBBY HANSSEN, kansascity.com, 3 June 2017
Verb
  • The superstar performed at Inglewood’s Kia Forum on Monday, as well as last night, on her Lux Tour.
    Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • Sources told Rolling Stone that Stevie Nicks, a longtime friend of Swift, will be present at the ceremony — and another said that the singer-songwriter would perform on the special day.
    Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • The world drew heavily from the paintings of fantasy illustrator Frank Frazetta, who depicted scenes of barbarians and beasts in conflict, of pulp fiction heroes, femme fatales, and fierce warrior women.
    Steve Appleford, SPIN, 29 June 2026
  • Another star at a similar distance from Earth is Bellatrix, which shines at the left shoulder of the celestial hunter depicted in the constellation Orion.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • In order to understand what is happening, the reader must interpret the images and the character’s dialogue.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026
  • Research that starts online often bears more fruit when it’s continued in person at a genealogical library, where professional genealogists and librarians can help locate and interpret records.
    Matt Alderton, USA Today, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Impersonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impersonate. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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