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
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
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
As K-pop spurs franchises, copycat spinoffs and big studio blockbusters, the system that propelled K-culture’s rise could stumble if its authenticity starts to waver.
—Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 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
Tropes, sequels, and even shameless copycats gave me a way to compare craft without getting overwhelmed by just how much movies can mean to me personally.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
As K-pop spurs franchises, copycat spinoffs and big studio blockbusters, the system that propelled K-culture’s rise could stumble if its authenticity starts to waver.
—Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 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
-
Swimbaits, stick baits, creature baits, crawfish imitators, and big ribbontail worms will all catch fish on a Texas rig.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Though Cox has a small role and Panettiere returns, the lack of legacy characters makes this feel like a cheap imitator at times.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Each time a cell divides, its DNA is copied, but mistakes inevitably creep in.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Credentials can be lost, copied, skimmed, photographed, or forged.—
Alex Israel,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The installation is a winking reference to the Turing test, the 1950 thought experiment about whether a machine can credibly imitate a person.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Each of the wounded imitated the pain and symptoms of an injury that could happen on the battlefield.—
Chelsea Torres,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For his followers, blaspheming the Holocaust and celebrating Hitler became a way to signal contempt for the political religion of postwar liberalism.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
In the Christian faith, the lamb is symbolic of innocence and the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for his followers.—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Soon, the astronauts of Artemis 2 will try to replicate it during their own flight around the moon.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Patience is the hardest part of this model to replicate.—
Stuart N. Brotman,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Another friendly, to take place before facing Mexico, is also in the pipeline ahead of Popovic inking his final 26-man squad; one that will carry Australian hopes of emulating their round of 16 appearances in Germany at the 2006 edition and then Qatar 2022 — and the dream of even more.—
Michael Bailey,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
What era should the US strive to emulate in turning its attention once again toward the Western Hemisphere?—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
She’s hunched over her computer, typing away furiously, the echo of her keystrokes bouncing around the compact space.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The light softened toward sunset, an evening echo of the same violet sky that hovered over Julian at the start of the day.—
Josh Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With a hundred and forty-one residential projects in development and twenty thousand new residents projected for the neighborhood by 2035, the city is attempting to reproduce the idea at building scale.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Unlike paintings or sculptures, prints can be reproduced, easily shipped and stored, and sold affordably.—
John P. Murphy,
ARTnews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Copycat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copycat. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
