imitative
adjective
im·i·ta·tive
ˈi-mə-ˌtā-tiv 
especially British -tə-tiv
1
a
: marked by imitation
acting is an imitative art
b
: reproducing or representing a natural sound : onomatopoeic
"hiss" is an imitative word
c
: exhibiting mimicry
2
: inclined to imitate
3
: imitating something superior : counterfeit
imitatively
adverb
imitativeness
noun
Examples of imitative in a Sentence
The architecture is imitative of a Japanese temple.
your writing style tends to be imitative of whichever author you've recently read
Recent Examples on the Web
It may be borrowed or coined, named after a person, inspired by a place or imitative of a sound.
—
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Conversations in dorm rooms and lecture halls consist of roughly 97% university-loathing and imitative protests to fire coaches and athletic directors.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Third-party imitative learning from an immigrating parrot’s flockmates may facilitate overall group integration and social bonding and may even give rise to cultural conventions of coordinated movements or gestures.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
In Roeck’s picture, competitive, rather than imitative, habits of mind rose from religious warfare, establishing a cutthroat system of cultural and economic innovation which lasts to this day.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitative
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Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Conversations in dorm rooms and lecture halls consist of roughly 97% university-loathing and imitative protests to fire coaches and athletic directors.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Third-party imitative learning from an immigrating parrot’s flockmates may facilitate overall group integration and social bonding and may even give rise to cultural conventions of coordinated movements or gestures.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
In Roeck’s picture, competitive, rather than imitative, habits of mind rose from religious warfare, establishing a cutthroat system of cultural and economic innovation which lasts to this day.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitative
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Imitative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imitative. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
imitative
adjective
im·i·ta·tive
ˈim-ə-ˌtāt-iv
1
: involving imitation
2
: given to imitating
3
: imitating something better
imitatively
adverb
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