William Shakespeare
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They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but we’ll posit that emulation is even more so. What’s the difference between imitating and emulating? Sometimes not a thing: emulate can be used as a synonym of imitate, as in “a painter who emulates her teacher’s style.” But more often, emulate is about trying to equal or surpass someone you admire by striving to master what they’ve accomplished. The word was adopted in the late 16th century from a form of the Latin word aemulārī, meaning “to vie with; to rival; to imitate.” Imitate was adopted about fifty years earlier from a form of the Latin word imitārī, meaning “to follow as a pattern; to copy.” Emulate emulated its success.
Examples of emulate in a Sentence
William Norwich, Vogue, 9 Sept. 2008
Although some schools are postponing new projects because of the faltering economy, others are forging ahead with plans to emulate freshman programs that have long existed at some of the nation's oldest colleges.
—Jeninne Lee-St. John, Time, 27 Oct. 2008
I started out emulating Chandler in that first book, maybe the first book and a half, because I was in my novitiate, and whenever I wasn't clear on what to do I would actively think about Chandler and what Marlow would have done.
—Robert B. Parker et al., Colloquium on Crime, 1986
She grew up emulating her sports heroes.
artists emulating the style of their teachers
Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Miller's favorite approach when decorating covered porches is to emulate the indoor aesthetic.
—Shagun Khare, Martha Stewart, 11 June 2026
Sitting courtside in New York City is an experience sung about in Jay-Z tracks and emulated in Hollywood movies, and for that reason, when the basketball game in question is the NBA Finals, the experience can and will cost an ordinary fan unimaginable sums of money.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
Response Has Been a Model for Others With its SG Clean initiative, Singapore created a template for COVID-19 responsiveness that other destinations have emulated, leading the way into a post-pandemic future.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for emulate
Cite this Entry
“Emulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emulate. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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