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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
Having a physical copy on hand helps avoid unnecessary stress and ensures a smooth check-in and boarding experience from start to finish. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025 The Super Bowl rematch had a better scoring margin than its original copy. Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
The trailer shows the player character to be a simple Ditto, the amorphous blob Pokémon capable of copying others’ appearance, taking on the eerie form of a human girl before making its way into the world. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2025 The Education Department's press office declined an interview request for this story in an unsigned email that was copied to agency officials Madison Biedermann, Savannah Newhouse, Julie Hartman, and Ellen Keast. Fred Clasen-Kelly, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for copy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copy
Noun
  • The findings are changing the way scientists understand ant reproduction, showing that ants can produce individuals of another species as part of their life cycle.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Through pollination, insects enable the reproduction of flowering plants, including many that form the base of food chains or are agriculturally important to humans.
    Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • To capture his presence on screen, Wembanyama has taken part in creative sessions with the production team, including a dedicated motion capture shoot to reproduce his signature moves and posture.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Without people in the loop, AI risks reproducing the inherent problems that it is meant to avoid, including discrimination, institutional incompetence and overall distrust.
    Gangesh Pathak, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Later in the game, when officials did call a travel on Atlanta, Clark was seen imitating the gesture again, playfully.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Student imitates Charlie Kirk's death and mocks him, goes up to statue where TPUSA members are and imitates his death again, and spits near them.
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There is also an actual mechanical shark that visitors can manipulate, albeit a scale replica.
    R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • One of the new additions to the lobby is a replica of a 1925 chandelier, recreated by artisans from photos that were discovered of the original ornate light fixture.
    Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But while salons have offered steam treatments as a curly hair staple for decades, at-home steamers have been too bulky (attempting to replicate in-salon domes) or too hard to use, requiring you to wrestle your curls into heated thermal caps, a battle that’s easy to lose.
    Megan McIntyre, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Here, 20 members of Forbes Coaches Council share soft skills professionals will need to stay resilient as the world of work continues to evolve them, underscoring the importance of honing human capabilities that technology can’t replicate.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • His values—American values—are the best hope for our republic and should emulated by all.
    Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • One of his hallmarks was performing shirtless and flaunting his abs on stage, setting a bold trend that other male K-pop idols would soon emulate.
    Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This deepening also has an index in the formal features of his poetry—the ambiguity of his pronouns, the firm particularity of his register of images—which teeters between the mundane and the epiphanic, and renders this imbalance itself into view.
    Elaine L. Wang September 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
  • When workers are used as invisible inputs in opaque AI systems that determine hiring, promotions and surveillance protocols, their autonomy can be eroded—and traditional labor rights rendered toothless.
    James Felton Keith, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Robots also offer consistency, repeating trials with no fatigue or variation.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025
  • But even more meaningful was the opportunity to have conversations that weren’t premised on the idea that Zohran had a hard ceiling in this race, something journalists and editors from more establishment outlets repeated ad nauseam until the final days of the primary.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Copy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copy. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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