copy 1 of 2

copy

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to reproduce
to make an exact likeness of for the movie, set designers copied the Oval Office in the White House down to the smallest detail

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to imitate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior she shamelessly copies her idol's hairstyle and fashion choices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun copy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of copy are duplicate, facsimile, replica, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When might duplicate be a better fit than copy?

While the synonyms duplicate and copy are close in meaning, duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When would facsimile be a good substitute for copy?

The words facsimile and copy can be used in similar contexts, but facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

Where would replica be a reasonable alternative to copy?

Although the words replica and copy have much in common, replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details, but not always in the same scale.

a replica of the Mayflower
miniature replicas of classic cars

In what contexts can reproduction take the place of copy?

The words reproduction and copy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

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 copy
Noun
Having one copy of the gene roughly doubles or triples the chances of developing the common dementia, while two copies raises the risk by 10 times and lowers the average age of onset by five to 10 years, data shows. Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025 Since its deletion, fans of Rodrigo have been copy/pasting her original message to remind viewers of Rodrigo’s take. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
Trump has copied Orbán’s playbook. Kim Lane Scheppele, Time, 6 Nov. 2025 Yet Fulton County officials have still insisted the ballots could not be copied or released. Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for copy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copy
Noun
  • Throughout these years, the body begins to prepare for the end of reproduction.
    Olivia Lee, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Seed materials, fruits, and branches were carefully collected from the two species to not disturb the small populations’ natural reproduction capabilities.
    Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • In an exchange reproduced on screen, a fan asked Stause about her rift with Hernan.
    Judy Berman, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The nonstick surface that develops over years of use is invaluable, and not easy to reproduce.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Art imitating life a little bit.
    Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • That work led to the Multisensory Correlation Detector (MCD), which could imitate human responses to simple audiovisual patterns like flashes and clicks.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The original bell was replaced on the underwater ship with a replica, engraved with the 29 sailors' names on it.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The private museum also has a replica of Sputnik 1, Project Apollo displays, and an Engine Evolution area that lets visitors get a close-up view of rocket engines and jet turbines.
    Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The company reportedly responded by banning users from using its product to replicate South Park content.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
  • While GPT-4o was a critical factor in the advent of spiralism, the faithful are hardly limited to this model, and have had success replicating elements of this nebulous framework with competitors including Gemini, DeepSeek, and Grok.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • At a distance, emulating the success of household names can feel like a herculean task.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
  • A lot of creatives emulate things, and that’s cool in the beginning.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • For centuries, the doctrine of coverture rendered married women the property of their husbands with no legal rights of their own.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
  • This gray panel matches the collar and Wings logo, and the rest of the upper is rendered in white and off-white.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • If the build-up of fabric softener is heavy and towels aren't absorbent after completing these three steps, repeat the process.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Naturally, history repeated, with the Bears scoring the final 14 points of the game to steal the victory.
    Dan Duggan, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Copy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copy. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on copy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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