aping

present participle of ape
as in imitating
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior was caught aping the substitute teacher's thick accent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 aping Critics and fanboy media thrashed Supergirl not just for its Guardians of the Galaxy touchstones, but also for aping Mad Max. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 29 June 2026 For Shorts, the label will appear as a small overlay at the bottom of the video itself, although that will add to the already cluttered look of the TikTok-aping Shorts. ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026 There’s a word for this type of storytelling, and Taccone deserves credit for delivering a superior version of this without outright aping its most famous practitioner. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026 But the series’ genre switch is just a theatrical exercise, like Euphoria is putting on another play, this one against a Harmony Korine– and Quentin Tarantino–aping backdrop. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026 The re-enactments, which include bomb-making and transportation, as well as the three-pronged plan to escape, have a flavor that calls to mind ’70s heist and spy films, accompanied by Michael James Lee’s jaunty, genre-aping score. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026 Trying To Avoid The Generic However, having minimal buttons is hardly an original design strategy when so many EVs have followed this route (aping Tesla). James Morris, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026 Critics accused him of aping Farage’s rhetoric and warned that Labour could lose votes to the left in trying to court the right. Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025 Ryback shows the younger man's relaxation-as-growth around impressive set pieces, including a segment of aping famed concert pianists Alfred Brendel and Glenn Gould as well as Hoffman's blistering rant after a visit to Dachau. Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aping
Verb
  • In addition, Meadowlands can spoof enemy assets by imitating the specific, complex waveforms used by military and commercial satellite networks.
    David Szondy July 06, New Atlas, 7 July 2026
  • Second, GenAI output can reproduce part of a creator’s work or imitating their style, free riding on the years spent developing their craft.
    Zoey Forbes, The Dial, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • But beyond emulating his career, Daniel also wants to leave the kind of impact on others that his father has.
    Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 28 June 2026
  • In pursuit of achieving his dreams and emulating his hero Alberto Contador, Spain’s last Grand Tour champion, Ayuso has recently turned to self-help books.
    Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • While copying the last testament of his predecessor—which warned of the dire need for a strong military—the young Dalai Lama discovered that corrupt officials were embezzling army funds.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026
  • On top of all this, the printer's interface is easy to understand, with a two-line LCD, simple buttons, and a number pad for tasks such as printer settings, copying documents, and sending faxes.
    George Yang, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Shahdadpuri walked to its location in the lower concourse, pulled the red jersey over the white-and-baby blue stripes of Argentina and spread his arms out wide — mimicking an image of Mahomes that was being shown on a video loop.
    Sam McDowell July 11, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2026
  • The company is based in Gwinnett County and specializes in mimicking the appearance of 1970s-era Ford Broncos and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons with all the bells, whistles and customization of new luxury vehicles.
    Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 10 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aping. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on aping

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!