copying

present participle of copy
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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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 copying There’s no denying that Lola Tung has impeccable style—I’m constantly referencing her fierce street style looks—so copying her accessory of choice feels like a safe move. Irene Richardson, InStyle, 27 June 2026 In June 2024, Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group sued the AI music services Suno and Udio, accusing them of copying sound recordings without permission to train their models. Maureen Kerr, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 The county is simply copying the city’s playbook toward a similar budget crisis. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2026 Determined to be seen as extraordinary, Elizabeth begins copying, stalking and impersonating Laura to try and win a Harvard spot for herself. Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 20 June 2026 Your boss may just end up copying your work outfit. Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 17 June 2026 Until now, the law has been clear that agencies may generally only charge for copying costs (something that’s essentially unnecessary in this day of digital records). Daniel Borenstein, Mercury News, 16 June 2026 Alejo switches back to speakerphone and stays silent, copying the numbers Elizabeth is asking for from Flores’ enrollment paperwork in big block letters so Flores can read them aloud. Megan Greenwell, Bloomberg, 9 June 2026 Start copying Lopez below for as little as $20. Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copying
Verb
  • Facing long odds, Sydney commits to leading without reproducing the toxicity she’s witnessed from Carmy.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 June 2026
  • Weaving may be the world’s oldest way of reproducing information—and computing is poised to become its final one.
    Lua Vollaard, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Some of the most notable moments show Atlas imitating human emotional reactions.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 June 2026
  • To celebrate, Gazza lay down on the grass and opened his mouth wide, imitating the dentist’s chair that had got him and his team-mates into so much bother a few weeks earlier.
    The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Officers found a victim suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid.
    Richard Ramos, CBS News, 28 June 2026
  • Officers began rendering medical aid until emergency medical crews arrived.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • In that sense, Hollywood isn’t becoming Detroit so much as emulating it.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 16 June 2026
  • That’s not a year fans should want any part of emulating.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • Rafael Castro, big, 6-9, George Washington Similar to Nelson above, Castro was a dominant big man in the Atlantic 10, but replicating that success as a 6-9 (in socks) big man at the next level may require a different approach.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 June 2026
  • On Monday, 60 Tao people from Taiwan’s Orchid Island set off on a 111-mile voyage, taking turns to paddle against strong currents to reach the Ivatan people on Batan Island, located in the far north of the Philippines, replicating a journey first thought to have been made more than 4,000 years ago.
    Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • Rest, review, and notice what keeps repeating in your mind.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026
  • Let’s hope that George Santayana’s warning to those ignorant of history about the past repeating itself makes an exception for our present Defense Department.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Fiber-optic, first-person view (FPV) drones have become a key weapon in the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah’s war against Israel in recent months – bypassing Israel’s sophisticated defense systems by duplicating an asymmetric warfare tactic that first emerged in the Russia-Ukraine war.
    Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 28 June 2026
  • Creating parallel capabilities overseas risks duplicating existing infrastructure while diverting attention and resources from the interventions most likely to bring the outbreak under control.
    Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 5 June 2026

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“Copying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copying. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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