as in imitated
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
was caught aping the substitute teacher's thick accent
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Recent Examples of aped
But none aped the style of an actual Super Bowl ad more cleverly than this one, clearly modeled after Budweiser’s ads that tend to feature horses and inspirational voiceovers.
—
Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
American elites aped European fashions, art, and manners, and Europeans admired American energy and efficiency.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
American elites aped European fashions, art, and manners, and Europeans admired American energy and efficiency.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aped
Verb
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Often imitated, never duplicated.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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There were plenty of laughs, as Montero imitated Lester’s pickoff throw and the players told some clubhouse stories, including some fights.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Along with the orange bikini and white knife belt, Bailey even copied Berry's famed pixie cut.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
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The sleek cabinet design was copied by simpler brands and reproduced repeatedly, often appearing sterile when finished in a stark, high-gloss finish.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mahan claimed policies under his watch have reduced crime and the number of unsheltered residents, helped police solve every city homicide for nearly the last four years, and should be emulated statewide.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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This was the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, which was founded in 1971 in Lima, and aimed to create a community, especially involving young people, that emulated the closely supervised life of pre-Vatican II Catholicism.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The floor-length, silk duchesse dress mimicked the silhouette and design of a classic trench coat, with tiny buckle detailing along the sleeve trims and a tie to secure the garment around her waist.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
22 Feb. 2026
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On Wednesday morning, Lanier hammered Mosseri over the controversial beauty filters that debuted on Instagram’s Stories function in 2019, showing an email chain in which Mosseri appeared to resist a ban on filters that mimicked plastic surgery.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aped. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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