copycat 1 of 2

Definition of copycatnext
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

copycat

2 of 2

verb

1
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 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 copycat
Noun
This is a copycat league, though, so is there anything to borrow from the Patriots for a potential blueprint for success? Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026 That has fueled a surge of copycat filings nationwide. Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
Sometimes, people will copycat what other teams have done. David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2022 And neither of us was that interested in trying to copycat any of the production elements of their songs, anyway. Vulture, 18 May 2022 See All Example Sentences for copycat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copycat
Noun
  • That's the beloved appetizer consisting of six yellow peppers stuffed with shrimp that family matriarch Carmen Murguia brought to California from the border town of Mexicali, creating what may be the area’s most popular Mexican dish and inspiring countless imitators.
    USA TODAY NETWORK, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Michtom didn’t bother to patent his invention; the imitators merely spurred interest.
    Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Workers resent being forced to use a technology that will then copy their ideas and processes, only to replace them in a few years time.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
  • However, simply copying a movement is not enough.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Brameshuber picked and cast people and put them in a car with Sommer in a studio to imitate the experience of long rides and allow for free-flowing conversations to develop, sometimes giving Sommer pointers, via an earpiece, about questions and topics to pursue.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Patagonia’s proprietary synthetic fill imitates down’s structure by spinning air-trapping microfilaments around a central fiber and requires fewer stabilizing seams and baffles than down.
    Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Named after the 19th-Century Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister Viscount Palmerston, the cat quickly garnered a large online fanbase, boasting nearly 100,000 followers as of Tuesday who closely tracked his adventures across Westminster.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Austin was a fearless leader, a gracious man, a devoted father and husband, and a faithful follower of Christ.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • His audience perhaps would prefer to replicate Ukraine’s energy and resolve, rather than Hungary’s.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
  • These prices may seem astronomical, but these whiskeys are extremely rare, only to be produced one time and then never to be replicated ever again, which is why some people are willing to pay a premium to get their hands on one.
    Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • That model was unlike anything else on the market at the time, with separate amplifier circuits for cleaner separation in each channel, and a vacuum tube preamp stage for analog smoothness and warmth – sort of emulating an audiophile's full system setup.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2026
  • The show was so big that ABC soon began emulating the Roman numeral naming convention of the Super Bowl, and by the time the concept had run its course, the Battle franchise closed out in 1988 just shy of the XX mark.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The people’s need for freedom has always been vocalized through protest, and the echoes of what’s happening there and what’s happening in Minneapolis are eerily similar.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
  • There are echoes of those campaigns this term; Arsenal led the standings for the majority of those seasons and is stuttering.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • For the first time, the researchers demonstrated that human spinal cord organoids can reproduce the formation of dense glial scars, which block nerve regeneration.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Feb. 2026
  • According to a report from Axios, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter Friday to ByteDance, accusing the company of distributing and reproducing its intellectual property through the new AI tool without permission.
    Dylan Butts, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Copycat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copycat. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.

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!