impersonate
verb
im·per·son·ate
im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt 
impersonated; impersonating
: to assume or act the character of : personate
impersonating a police officer
Examples of impersonate in a Sentence
He was arrested for impersonating a police officer.
a comedian with a talent for impersonating famous politicians and actors
Recent Examples on the Web
Four elderly Novato residents were targeted by callers who demanded cash and impersonated police employees or debt collectors, police said Wednesday.
—
Cameron MacDonald, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
The experience of being impersonated led de Blasio to reflect on the need for stronger action around the safety risks of emerging technology.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2025
The scammers usually impersonate SNAP representatives and ask for personal information in order to unblock or unlock EBT cards.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2025
Attackers often impersonate coworkers, banks, or even family members.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impersonate
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Cameron MacDonald, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
The experience of being impersonated led de Blasio to reflect on the need for stronger action around the safety risks of emerging technology.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2025
The scammers usually impersonate SNAP representatives and ask for personal information in order to unblock or unlock EBT cards.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2025
Attackers often impersonate coworkers, banks, or even family members.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impersonate
Cite this Entry
“Impersonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impersonate. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
impersonate
verb
im·per·son·ate
im-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt
impersonated; impersonating
: to pretend to be some other person
impersonate a police officer
impersonation
noun
-ˌpərs-ᵊn-ˈā-shən
impersonator
noun
-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər
Legal Definition
impersonate
transitive verb
im·per·son·ate
im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt
impersonated; impersonating
: to assume (another's or a fictitious identity) without authority and with fraudulent intent
impersonate a police officer
impersonated a public servant by saying he was from the water department
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