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copy

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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
But a copy of the legislation obtained by the Miami Herald shows that Suarez signed the document on June 26 — the same day as the City Commission meeting. Miami Herald, 4 July 2025 But according to Christies’s Auction House, one manuscript is the first of its kind to go up for sale in over a century: a copy of the first pseudonymous astronomical text co-written by Galileo Galilei. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 July 2025
Verb
Star Trek Into Darkness is, at minimum, the third Trek film to copy the Wrath of Khan formula. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 30 June 2025 Sharif copied and pasted a paragraph Adjoua had written a year earlier, prefacing it with, My wife wanted to add this: Judy is so cuddly and sweet. Literary Hub, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for copy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copy
Noun
  • Ticket Information Imperial War Museum/Underground Air-Raid Exhibit Located within the larger Imperial War Museum, the reproduction of an underground air-raid shelter exhibit offers visitors a chilling sense of what life was like during the London Blitz.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • Some of the original wallpapers were scanned and reprinted, while headboards feature large-scale reproductions of watercolor landscapes by Sosthène Weis, the Luxembourgish painter whose works are on display at the National Museum of History and Art.
    Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • At the heart of the dispute was whether teams’ imagery can be used without consent to create unlicensed products when those products use historic artistic images, including those in the public domain, reproduced from vintage school memorabilia.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025
  • The moisture can create a perfect haven, if bacteria is present, to reproduce when the baked potato cools down while wrapped in foil and hits a temperature of 135 F to 41 F.
    Lauren David, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • And beyond device checks, smart verification systems can also monitor behavioral signals—like typing speed, location, or login habits—to spot anomalies that a cloned voice can’t imitate.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 10 July 2025
  • His celebration imitated him sitting down playing a video game – a tribute to his former Portugal teammate Diogo Jota who died in a car crash last week.
    Ben Morse, CNN Money, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • One of Tim Harmon’s proudest achievements, his son Avi Harmon said, was the creation of the Statue of Liberty Museum, home to more than 600 replicas of Lady Liberty in all sizes.
    Samanta Habashy, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
  • There are replicas of her most beloved pots and utensils, handwritten and typed letters, and other ephemera.
    Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • This trader dataset creates genuine competitive moats in ways that traditional Wall Street firms struggle to replicate.
    Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • The store will replicate the approach and colors of the headquarters in a bold way.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • To convert these advantages into productive capacity, the United States should selectively emulate today’s preeminent manufacturing powerhouse and rediscover its own ability to build fast and build well.
    Damien Ma, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025
  • Scorpio Mysterious, magnetic, and maybe just a little bit dangerous: Scorpio, your jewelry needs to match your passion and emulate your true inner light to the outside world.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Chinese electric vehicles are becoming far more attractive, rendering Tesla's cars less appealing, particularly in global markets.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
  • The government says that services rendered while a fugitive from your master are not recognized.
    Jonquilyn Hill, Vox, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • This repeating cycle of remorse, hope and abuse can become a barrier that prevents a person from leaving the relationship, according to Bearat.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 July 2025
  • Seagate's stock has experienced such severe declines previously, and based on its current valuation, history might repeat itself.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Copy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copy. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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