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mock

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adjective

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mock

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mock distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mock are ape, copy, imitate, and mimic. While all these words mean "to make something so that it resembles an existing thing," mock usually implies imitation with derision.

mocking a vain man's pompous manner

When is ape a more appropriate choice than mock?

The synonyms ape and mock are sometimes interchangeable, but ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original.

American fashion designers aped their European colleagues

When would copy be a good substitute for mock?

While the synonyms copy and mock are close in meaning, copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible.

copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

Where would imitate be a reasonable alternative to mock?

Although the words imitate and mock have much in common, imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation.

imitate a poet's style

When is it sensible to use mimic instead of mock?

While in some cases nearly identical to mock, mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation.

pupils mimicking their teacher

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mock
Verb
Memes circulated on social media, amplified by bots, mocking Heard for crying in court and calling her crazy. Alexis Okeowo, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 However, 75 Democrats voted for the measure even after House Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York railed against it and mocked Evans for filing it. Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 16 June 2025
Adjective
The sleeveless mock neck top and cropped wide-leg pants are available in 23 colors, including the ultra-popular beige, pink, and timeless black. Mia Huelsbeck, People.com, 13 June 2025 None of the Jayhawks on the 2024-25 roster have appeared in any of the various mock drafts. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2025
Noun
In an ideal world, there isn't a huge run on centers like there was in this mock. Corey Pronman, New York Times, 20 May 2025 Alabama had the second most players in the mock with four, while the Miami Hurricanes and Ohio State Buckeyes each had three. Matt Galatzan, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mock
Verb
  • From the looks of it, almost everyone in GTA VI will be some version of a Florida Man or Woman, which suits the tone of the franchise which has routinely parodied American culture from all angles.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2025
  • In an April 24 interview with Piers Morgan, Bill Maher responded to Larry David’s New York Times op-ed parodying him.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has ridiculed Red Bull's protest, which challenged George Russell's maiden victory of the 2025 season in Canada.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
  • San Francisco has been consistently ridiculed for its rise in homeless population and videos of open-air drug use on the city’s streets.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Thousands of people were arrested by the LAPD and other agencies for failure to disperse, disobeying a lawful order and other minor offenses following the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but both the Los Angeles city attorney’s office and former Dist.
    Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
  • Federal judges ruled Thursday that Alabama intentionally discriminated against Black residents when the state disobeyed court orders to draw a second Black-majority congressional district.
    Cheyanne M. Daniels, The Hill, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • There are epic style moments in the new series, including one segment where Ashanti wears a white faux fur coat.
    Nadja Sayej, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • Amid all the showmanship on Thursday, hosted by a faux Austin Powers, there will be retro music and dancing.
    Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • These tech support scams combine seemingly genuine offers of help regarding security issues surrounding account activity with fake ID Captcha prompts that involve executing malicious commands using the Windows Run prompt.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • He was charged with armed violence, use of a firearm without a firearm owner’s identification card, possession of a fake ID and drug possession.
    Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Sports officials have been the target of jokes and ire from fans for as long as sports have existed.
    Chris Vannini, New York Times, 18 June 2025
  • But Reese isn’t letting herself be treated as the victim of the joke.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Luminate reports that during the most recent tracking period — which is when people learned of Wilson’s passing — the song sold just under 4,200 copies.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • Selling 95,000 copies of DESIRE: UNLEASH in the U.S., the boy band also scored a No. 3 debut on the Billboard 200, marking its eighth entry on the chart and its fifth top 10 album.
    Stephen Daw, Billboard, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Fortunately, Lehane is a great enough crime author to be able to imitate a terrible one(*), and being more overt about that helps to better establish who Dave is.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
  • In a clever flex of corporate synergy, Apple promoted its first summer blockbuster with the release of a haptic trailer that imitates the purr of an F1 engine in the palms of your hands.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mock. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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