1
as in to come (to)
to be the same in meaning or effect
what they offered at the new resort didn't begin to emulate the kind of pampering we were used to getting at the resort that closed down
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to imitate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
a pro athlete who has often said that children should emulate their parents—not him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of emulate
Scholars and religious leaders argue that Congo’s political elite should emulate Kimbangu’s spirit of personal sacrifice for freedom rather than pursuing self-enrichment at the expense of the nation’s sovereignty.
—
Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Growing up, McIlroy idolized the 82-time PGA Tour winner and aimed to emulate his game after Woods.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Other states are now trying to emulate what Mississippi did.
—Rachel Canter, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
City Hall was outfitted with giant goggles to emulate popular player Horace Grant.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for emulate
Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Growing up, McIlroy idolized the 82-time PGA Tour winner and aimed to emulate his game after Woods.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Other states are now trying to emulate what Mississippi did.
—Rachel Canter, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
City Hall was outfitted with giant goggles to emulate popular player Horace Grant.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for emulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emulate
Verb
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Both of us remember childhood weekends spent recording our own camcorder sketch shows — Lee imitating Dana Carvey’s Ross Perot and Molly Shannon’s Mary Catherine Gallagher, Jenn pushing the boundaries of absurdism far past the point of actually getting laughs.—
Lee Kelly,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
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The upcoming season of Nobody Wants This includes a bit more art imitating life after Timothy Simons‘ recent hair experiment.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That means that all of the Navy ships currently in the Middle East can play a role in enforcing a blockade.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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The warning means residents should avoid burning due to strong winds and low humidity levels.—
Joseph Dames,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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So no, the Nets didn’t spend this season proving that five first-round picks at once is some elegant new model the rest of the league should rush to copy.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Other artists copied his style, which at first the artist considered flattering but later saw it as unoriginal as his popularity grew.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Now researchers have found that these clumps give off a distinctly floral scent—making the larvae the first animal known to mimic a flower’s smell.—
Chris Simms,
Scientific American,
12 Apr. 2026
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Michigan’s Jack Ivankovic was also very good in trying to mimic idol Marty Turco.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Thankfully, matching lounge sets are the perfect solution to this universal dilemma, and right now, Amazon just marked down fresh styles for spring—with savings up to 37 percent off.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
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The pair of Brooklyn North narcotics detectives involved in the clash thought the man matched the description of someone who had just made a drug sale, a police source said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By the way, just one light-year equals almost six trillion miles.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
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Chicago equaled a club record by using nine pitchers in a nine-inning game.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Because Zendaya plays young women, these women still have parents, and the actors cast to play her parents—which is to say her history, the expository reasons for her Blackness—typically flit in and out of the background, there to signify and do nothing else.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2026
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Gaps between research and product As 420 – signifying April 20, a day celebrating cannabis culture – approaches each year, public attention turns toward the legal status of cannabis.—
Lucy Xiaolu Wang,
The Conversation,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Emulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emulate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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