1
as in reproducing
to make an exact likeness of
for the movie, set designers copied the Oval Office in the White House down to the smallest detail
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2
as in imitating
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
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Recent Examples of copying
One of their tactics was to charge record requesters not just for copying costs but for the time workers spent assembling the records.
—
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
Donnie is now directing and starring in a movie with his particular style and flair and expertise that isn’t copying anything from the Wick world but is furthering the story of one of the most extraordinary characters to come out of the Wick universe ever.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
These moments show students evaluating AI output critically and treating it almost as a sparring partner, rather than simply copying it.
—Jeanne Beatrix Law, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Apple has always taken a unique approach to the design of its office apps, rather than copying Microsoft 365's ribbon-style convention like most competitors.
—Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine, 19 Mar. 2026
To be clear, do yourself a favor and don’t ruin your March by copying a pasting a Golden bracket.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
The human brain doesn’t achieve intelligence by copying one type of neuron billions of times, but by combining many different specialized cell types and circuits that work together.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Trader Joe’s is also facing a legal challenge from Smucker, which has filed a lawsuit accusing it of copying its trademark crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, The Times reported last year.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
But admiring an athlete and copying their choices are two different things — and a smiley piercing, especially one done at home, comes with real health risks that the ADA has specifically flagged.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
Donnie is now directing and starring in a movie with his particular style and flair and expertise that isn’t copying anything from the Wick world but is furthering the story of one of the most extraordinary characters to come out of the Wick universe ever.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
These moments show students evaluating AI output critically and treating it almost as a sparring partner, rather than simply copying it.
—Jeanne Beatrix Law, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Apple has always taken a unique approach to the design of its office apps, rather than copying Microsoft 365's ribbon-style convention like most competitors.
—Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine, 19 Mar. 2026
To be clear, do yourself a favor and don’t ruin your March by copying a pasting a Golden bracket.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
The human brain doesn’t achieve intelligence by copying one type of neuron billions of times, but by combining many different specialized cell types and circuits that work together.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Trader Joe’s is also facing a legal challenge from Smucker, which has filed a lawsuit accusing it of copying its trademark crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, The Times reported last year.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
But admiring an athlete and copying their choices are two different things — and a smiley piercing, especially one done at home, comes with real health risks that the ADA has specifically flagged.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copying
Verb
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As guests left, we were handed boxes of produce used in the lunch served, including parsnips for reproducing blogger Christina Conte’s unique savory parsnip scones.—
Judy Bart Kancigor,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
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Despite religious and phenotypic differences, people around the western Mediterranean Sea have been interacting, trading, warring, migrating, and reproducing together for centuries.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Instead of imitating other instruments and conforming to conventional musical ideas, Buchla (and Ciani) set out to create a paradigm based on harnessing the flow of electricity itself.—
Andrew Ryce,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
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In the clip Miller says a lot without naming names and without directly addressing the life-imitating-art of it all.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Antibodies that my body developed to fight the mycoplasma bacteria also destroyed my red blood cells, rendering me briefly anemic.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Upon arrival, officers saw Long Beach firefighters rendering medical aid to the victim, who was lying in the road.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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At least for now, Bath’s example illustrates the possibilities in terms of both promise and avenues for development—by emulating nature (selecting hardy strains of Bacillus) and pharmaceutical engineering (capsule technology), civil engineers are rethinking concrete from the inside out.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These devices can actively stimulate real brain cells, going beyond just replicating neural behavior in theory.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
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This highly advanced race of insectoid machines is built from tiny blocks and is capable of — as the name suggests — replicating itself by eating technology.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hammering the Color Palette Using too many colors (and over-repeating them) can cause visual overwhelm, which can read as clutter.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
11 Apr. 2026
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Grown-ups might spot repeating glitches in careers, romances or caregiving styles.—
Lucy Jones
April 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The findings, published in a new study in the journal Nature Communications, suggest there’s a hard limit to duplicating mammals.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
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From there, a user named Vega turned it into a TikTok dance video that exploded — people duplicating themselves on screen, one version performing, the other dancing behind them.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Copying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copying. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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