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
Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 24 May 2026
The guest rooms were designed to emulate a lakeside escape, while the hotel’s corridor carpets mimic a sandy beach.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026
The distilleries are not using barley or grain to emulate scotch, but selecting the barley that works specifically for single malt whisky grown, distilled and matured in India.
—Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Nelson worked on similar — if much larger — mixed-use developments in the suburbs of Atlanta that Hillgren hopes Harris Ranch can emulate.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 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 25 May. 2026.
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