simulate

verb
sim·​u·​late | \ ˈsim-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce simulate (audio) \
simulated; simulating

Definition of simulate

transitive verb

1 : to give or assume the appearance or effect of often with the intent to deceive : imitate
2 : to make a simulation of (something, such as a physical system)

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Other Words from simulate

simulative \ ˈsim-​yə-​ˌlā-​tiv How to pronounce simulative (audio) \ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for simulate

assume, affect, pretend, simulate, feign, counterfeit, sham mean to put on a false or deceptive appearance. assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive. assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling. affected an interest in art pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance. pretended that nothing had happened simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something. cosmetics that simulate a suntan feign implies more artful invention than pretend, less specific mimicry than simulate. feigned sickness counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words. an actor counterfeiting drunkenness sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible. shammed a most unconvincing limp

Did You Know?

The zircon, that favorite of home shopping channels, simulates a diamond—more or less. A skilled furrier can dye lower-grade furs to simulate real mink. A skilled actress can simulate a range of emotions from absolute joy to crushing despair. And an apparatus that simulates the hazards of driving while intoxicated is likely to provide some very real benefits.

Examples of simulate in a Sentence

The model will be used to simulate the effects of an earthquake. cosmetics that simulate a suntan
Recent Examples on the Web Jeff Bezos wants to build space stations that rotate fast enough to simulate Earth gravity—and large enough to host entire cities full of residents. Clive Thompson, The New Republic, "Monetizing the Final Frontier," 3 Dec. 2020 Proponents of quantum computing say the technology will exponentially improve the processing speed and power of computers, enabling them to simulate large systems and drive advances in physics, chemistry and other fields. Yaacov Benmeleh, Fortune, "Amazon is laying the groundwork for its own quantum computer," 1 Dec. 2020 That includes ramping up testing facilities on and off-ship, ensuring its personnel are free of coronavirus and then performing at least one test sailing to simulate an actual cruise and prove out its ability to sail safely. Richard Tribou, orlandosentinel.com, "Carnival cancels all cruises through January, but ships returning to Florida to ramp up for sailing," 18 Nov. 2020 Florida linebacker James Houston arranged chairs in his living room to simulate blockers and placed a tennis ball on top of a garbage can to work on his hands. Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, "Florida-Missouri live stream (10/31): How to watch college football online, TV, time," 31 Oct. 2020 Instead, Powell has been working to simulate those movements otherwise and remaining involved in several in-depth initiatives in Dallas. Callie Caplan, Dallas News, "Mavs' Dwight Powell gives update on Achilles rehab progress: Ready to scrimmage, but no date to play," 8 Oct. 2020 So to see more of them, modelers will have to simulate much bigger volumes of space, which will require serious number-crunching. Michael Greshko, National Geographic, "Dark matter warps galaxy clusters more than expected, shaking up cosmic theory," 10 Sep. 2020 And recently, some have turned to technology to simulate it. Janet Manley, Wired, "The Ethics of Rebooting the Dead," 26 Nov. 2020 The ability to create and simulate the performance of an object under hundreds of operating conditions has been a cornerstone of engineering for decades, such as for designing electronic circuits, airplanes and buildings. Daniel E. Hurtado, Scientific American, "Virtual Patients Could Revolutionize Medicine," 10 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'simulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of simulate

1652, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for simulate

Latin simulatus, past participle of simulare to copy, represent, feign, from similis like — more at same

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Time Traveler for simulate

Time Traveler

The first known use of simulate was in 1652

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Statistics for simulate

Last Updated

13 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Simulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simulate. Accessed 16 Dec. 2020.

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More Definitions for simulate

simulate

verb
How to pronounce simulate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of simulate

: to look, feel, or behave like (something)
sim·​u·​late | \ ˈsim-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce simulate (audio) \
simulated; simulating

Medical Definition of simulate

: to have or produce a symptomatic resemblance to lesions simulating leprosy

Other Words from simulate

simulation \ ˌsim-​yə-​ˈlā-​shən How to pronounce simulation (audio) \ noun
sim·​u·​late | \ ˈsim-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce simulate (audio) \
simulated; simulating

Legal Definition of simulate

in the civil law of Louisiana : to make or carry out in a manner that does not express one's true intent a simulated sale of the debtor's property in which no consideration was paid

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Comments on simulate

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