alter ego

noun

ˌȯl-tər-ˈē-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce alter ego (audio)
Definition of alter egonext
1
as in friend
a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another over the years the state's other senator became his alter ego as well as his political ally

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in image
something or someone that strongly resembles another the hero of the novel is clearly the author's alter ego, right down to his receding hairline and middle-aged paunch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 alter ego Unlike entertainers who view their public persona as an alter ego, Sukihana sees balance as the foundation of her identity. — Desjah Altvater, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 The three-time Oscar nominee’s alter ego first debuted in 1998 during a segment on the British TV program The 11 O’Clock Show. — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 12 July 2026 In 1920, Duchamp decided to create a female alter ego, Rose Sélavy. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 29 June 2026 Batman used to be rich, the alter ego of Bruce Wayne, a wealthy playboy, philanthropist, and industrialist in Gotham City. — Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for alter ego
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alter ego
  1. friend
  2. image
  3. buddy
  4. twin
  5. picture
  6. replica
  7. clone
  8. duplicate
Noun
  • Samaritan's Purse said nearly every patient treated at its field hospital has lost a family member or close friend.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026
  • Can any human being be a true friend to thousands or even millions of people at once?
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of friend
Noun
  • Andrew Tate faces 42 charges, including rape, human trafficking, indecent images of a child and assault, according to the UK Crown Prosecution Service and Bedfordshire Police.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • The lawsuit alleges that Sheriff Robert Luna failed to confiscate Giandomenico’s phone after learning of the photos and tried to conceal from Nancy Lemus that the images existed.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of image
Noun
  • Laugh List scripts range in style, covering coming-of-age comedy, romantic comedy, historical comedy, political mockumentary, college comedy, dark comedy, and buddy comedy.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 July 2026
  • That night, Freddy and his buddies met Langley backstage after a performance in Oklahoma City.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of buddy
Noun
  • In recent years, the typical Shears song has cloaked descriptions of paranormal encounters in hardcore distortion and cartoon sound effects, fleshing out the twins’ strange world while hinting at weirder mysteries beneath the surface.
    — Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 22 July 2026
  • As automation, digital twins, predictive maintenance and intelligent control systems become embedded across energy infrastructure, companies must compete for digital expertise while simultaneously retraining much of their existing workforce.
    — Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of twin
Noun
  • Information collected during flight is shared across the formation, giving nearby aircraft a broader picture of threats and changing battlefield conditions.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 July 2026
  • Yamal shared a sweet photo of the moment in a carousel of several other celebratory pictures from the championship final on Instagram.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
Definition of picture
Noun
  • Javier Bardem, wearing a Spain replica shirt with Borja Iglesias’ name and No 26 on the back, was shown celebrating in the stands.
    — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • The foursome was seated arm in arm, wearing replica jerseys of Spain’s team and celebrating the country’s dramatic semifinal win over France.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 19 July 2026
Definition of replica
Noun
  • The interview, therefore, presents an opportunity to stand out in a sea of clones.
    — Cami Fateh, Vogue, 22 July 2026
  • So, it's been up to tech journalists to investigate and connect some dots, but there's certainly reason to believe that Skyrover and Xtra are true clones, not knock-offs or imitations.
    — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 21 July 2026
Definition of clone
Noun
  • Some have been coming here since the 2010 World Cup, and their steady presence and exhaustive supplies of duplicates have established this as the place to go.
    — Maria Jose Gutierrez-Chavez, Curbed, 17 July 2026
  • The Justice Department has said half of the roughly 6 million pages of records collected during its investigation would be released, arguing many remaining documents are duplicates, unrelated to Epstein or protected by legal privilege.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of duplicate

Browse Nearby Words

altered
alter ego
alter egos
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Cite this Entry

“Alter ego.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alter%20ego. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alter ego

Nglish: Translation of alter ego for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alter ego

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