impersonate

verb

im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating

transitive verb

: to assume or act the character of : personate
impersonation noun
impersonator noun

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 That these are impersonating Microsoft comes as absolutely no surprise to anyone, considering that the company is at the top of the brands to impersonate for clout by cybercriminals. Davey Winder, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 Through its many decades on the air, the NBC show has become renowned for its segments featuring cast members and celebrity guest stars impersonating prominent politicians and humorously poking fun at those in power. Lizzie Hyman, People.com, 30 Sep. 2024 In May, the Federal Communications Commission proposed levying multimillion-dollar fines on a political consultant behind a robocall campaign that impersonated President Joe Biden. Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 26 Sep. 2024 The screenshot originated from an account that impersonates her and identifies itself as parody. Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for impersonate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'impersonate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impersonate was in 1715

Dictionary Entries Near impersonate

Cite this Entry

“Impersonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impersonate. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

impersonate

verb
im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating
: to pretend to be some other person
impersonate a police officer
impersonation
-ˌpərs-ᵊn-ˈā-shən
noun
impersonator
-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər
noun

Legal Definition

impersonate

transitive verb
im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
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
impersonator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impersonate

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