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
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Recent Examples of copycat
Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2026
Made with Flourish • Create a chart The new direct-to-patient market is emerging as a critical driver of future sales growth, but compounders — which make cheaper copycat versions of the drug and were able to flourish during the earlier shortage of semaglutide — remain a real competitor.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
This light copycat salad is made with a simple vinaigrette sweetened with maple syrup and spiced with Dijon mustard.
—Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2026
Made with Flourish • Create a chart The new direct-to-patient market is emerging as a critical driver of future sales growth, but compounders — which make cheaper copycat versions of the drug and were able to flourish during the earlier shortage of semaglutide — remain a real competitor.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 1 Jan. 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
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Although Rudolph’s concrete architecture was more complex and soulful than that of many of his imitators, that difference was often overlooked.—
Anthony Paletta,
Curbed,
13 Jan. 2026
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The film introduced new slang into the lexicon, repopularized surf rock, and spawned dozens of fast-talking imitators.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The software involved is open-source, meaning it can be freely copied or adapted by others.—
Joe Wertz,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Big data models learn by copying existing actions—how to fold clothes, write a dissertation, or create a video of a pig hoverboarding through space—by parsing previous examples and extrapolating similar behavior.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, previously said in a statement that accounts imitating other people go against their terms of service and are removed when flagged.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
-
These fake sites are made to imitate genuine Google support pages.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Japanese followers were expected to contribute more than others.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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In an Instagram story on Monday, Katy Perry asked her followers to call their senators to ask them to block the appropriations bill that includes funding for DHS.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mpro, an enzyme that allows SARS-CoV-2 to replicate in host cells, holds structural similarities.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Such observations can be replicated in the lab.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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McGillivray remembered wanting to emulate Pretti.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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Jewelry sizing and placement need to be super-precise to emulate the illusion of a true rook or snug.—
Marianne Mychaskiw,
Allure,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Pair your Sicilian feast with Ben Ryé or Marsala Superiore, but close with a creamy Tiramisu cocktail—the sweetest echo of la dolce vita.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Rye and apple brandy are fast friends—the apple brandy adding an autumnal echo to rye’s grainy persistence.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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One ecosystem reproduces itself through procedure; the other through attention.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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This article originally appeared in Spektrum der Wissenschaft and was reproduced with permission.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Copycat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copycat. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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