as in imitator
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way
every rock singer who makes it big soon has a whole cluster of copycats
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to copy
to make an exact likeness of
asked her stylist to copycat a hairstyle from the magazine
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
a performer who slavishly copycats another never rises to the level of true stardom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of copycat
Terry Collins, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
Once known for supplying raw ingredients and manufacturing copycat drugs, China is now second only to the US in the development of new medicines.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 15 Apr. 2025
Michael M. Dewitt, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2021
Its new twist on phishing alerts, though, could give it and copycat criminal hackers one more edge in a fight that’s already unfair.
—Brian Barrett, Wired, 14 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for copycat
Noun
The massacre, which also wounded 21 people, became a blueprint for dozens of copycats and shattered the notion that kids were safe in school.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
Once known for supplying raw ingredients and manufacturing copycat drugs, China is now second only to the US in the development of new medicines.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
Park mentioned the case of the Boston Marathon Bomber, in which social media led to misidentification of suspects, and possibly to copycat cases.
—Michael M. Dewitt, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2021
Its new twist on phishing alerts, though, could give it and copycat criminal hackers one more edge in a fight that’s already unfair.
—Brian Barrett, Wired, 14 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for copycat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copycat
Verb
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Many voters in Argentina believed that firm action was needed to correct course on Argentina’s deeply unstable economy; now, other leaders in Latin America, Europe, and the U.S. are seeking to copy Milei’s chainsaw approach to public spending.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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Government officials believe the impersonator used artificial intelligence to copy Wiles' voice for calls.—
Jordan King
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Verb
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At Cruise’s behest, McQuarrie’s stunts imitate the most primitive filmmaking — not the awe-inspiring magic of Georges Méliès but the Lumière brothers’ rudimentary documentation of action.—
Armond White,
National Review,
23 May 2025
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Walton imitated the big-box retail store and located them in small towns.—
Dileep Rao,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
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On Instagram alone, both Life & Style and In Touch counted north of half a million followers in addition to robust websites.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
30 May 2025
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In her Instagram post, Maria Carolina warned her 173,000 followers to be careful when out on the road.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Beyond sustainability, there’s a raw beauty and integrity to these materials – the tonal variations in undyed wool, for example, add a depth and richness that can’t be replicated in synthetic alternatives.—
Christopher Marquis,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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Then, add to that what was used to replicate a vodka martini: A glass of water with onion in it.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
1 June 2025
Verb
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A lot of people emulate some sort of legacy in order to shake the purse strings of their audience.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
23 May 2025
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Who wants their grandchildren to emulate such limited vocabulary, negative language and divisive rhetoric?—
Christine Ledbetter,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The echoes from the celebration just a few steps away — from a hardwood that was supposed to be theirs — will haunt the Knicks far longer than their wins will comfort them.—
Kristian Winfield,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2025
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Set high atop Fort Hill, where echoes of the Revolutionary War still linger, 17-19 Beech Glen Street offers a front-row seat to Boston’s layered history — literally.—
Miriam Schwartz,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Set in the dystopian society of Gilead, The Handmaid’s Tale follows June (aka Offred) as she’s forced to reproduce with a high-ranking commander, all while secretly plotting to overthrow the totalitarian government and reunite with the daughter who was taken from her.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
23 May 2025
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The transition occurred partly because amniotes evolved to reproduce with hard-shelled, rather than soft-shelled, eggs.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Verb
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South Korea’s new president should mimic Moon’s approach by pushing his national security staff and economic advisers to get into the weeds with their North Korean counterparts.—
John Delury,
Foreign Affairs,
3 June 2025
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Modern robots can move with incredible agility, mimicking animal locomotion and executing complex tasks with mechanical precision.—
James Pikul,
The Conversation,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Copycat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copycat. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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