1
as in copied
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
teenage musicians who imitate whichever rock stars are hot
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2
as in parodied
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
imitating someone's stutter and laughing at them is a cruel thing to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in reproduced
to make an exact likeness of
a second-rate artist who was notorious for imitating the works of other painters
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Recent Examples of imitated
There were plenty of laughs, as Montero imitated Lester’s pickoff throw and the players told some clubhouse stories, including some fights.
—
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
In the restaurant business, a great location is one of the only competitive advantages that can’t be imitated.
—Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 15 Jan. 2026
And as the Kanneh-Mason clan grew, the younger siblings — as younger siblings do — imitated the bigger kids, a glorious chain reaction.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
There was one take [where] every mannerism or gesture that Kim would do in her performance, Sarah imitated.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Hawke has addressed the fact that life imitated art for him during production, as Williams began to take on a mentorly role for him.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Dec. 2025
Almost all woman writers have imitated men in that way.
—Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Mega-influencer Kylie Jenner used the sound during various date nights and creators have also imitated Doja Cat’s signature dance move in parody videos.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
Playing someone such as Cohn, a public and much-imitated figure, is hard enough.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
In the restaurant business, a great location is one of the only competitive advantages that can’t be imitated.
—Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 15 Jan. 2026
And as the Kanneh-Mason clan grew, the younger siblings — as younger siblings do — imitated the bigger kids, a glorious chain reaction.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
There was one take [where] every mannerism or gesture that Kim would do in her performance, Sarah imitated.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Hawke has addressed the fact that life imitated art for him during production, as Williams began to take on a mentorly role for him.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Dec. 2025
Almost all woman writers have imitated men in that way.
—Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Mega-influencer Kylie Jenner used the sound during various date nights and creators have also imitated Doja Cat’s signature dance move in parody videos.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
Playing someone such as Cohn, a public and much-imitated figure, is hard enough.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitated
Verb
-
For example, when copied on a project conversation, jump in with a brief result.—
Chris Lipp,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
When shown how to open the puzzles, children copied all the steps, even unnecessary ones.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Many of the players reunited for a Boost Mobile commercial in 2010 that parodied the song, and Saturday Night Live created a mock Behind The Music documentary about it when Tom Brady hosted in 2005.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
26 Jan. 2026
-
He has been parodied on SNL and has appeared on series including Treme, Billions and The Bear.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
What Rusbridger’s account leaves out is that the BBC has reproduced the prejudices of successive British establishments since its inception in the early twentieth century, whether by propagandizing against workers during the general strike of 1926 or by condemning the antiwar protests of 2003.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This was the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, which was founded in 1971 in Lima, and aimed to create a community, especially involving young people, that emulated the closely supervised life of pre-Vatican II Catholicism.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
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Mounfield’s coffin was wrapped in a multi-coloured print which emulated the cover of the Stone Roses’ legendary 1989 debut record, while fans lining the street wore merchandise of the group.—
Nick Reilly,
Rolling Stone,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
These trees, this graveyard, her walk among them mocked that memory.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Ticket sales had been anemic and were getting mocked on social media and by late-night talk show hosts.—
Tamara Keith,
NPR,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But that doesn’t mean the results at Chalmers and Chávez can’t be replicated at larger high schools.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Driskell said the kind of massive federal immigration enforcement effort that’s going on in Minnesota could result in the same kind of violence if it were replicated in Florida.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In 2017, Mehlhorn secretly helped fund a deceptive social-media botnet campaign, which mimicked foreign-interference tactics and was designed to hurt a Republican Senate candidate.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
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The Dolphins mimicked Palisadian people with their resilient play, offering a modicum of joy in a broken world, earning the respect of the town and the support of a city.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Without accounting for these forces, history is rendered flat and malleable—ideal for manipulation by fascist politics.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Jan. 2026
-
This season, Roseberry continued his mission with a haute couture collection that featured replica reptilian textures, protruding tusk breasts, scorpion bustiers and a translucent two-piece skirt suit rendered in hyperreal blowfish scales.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitated. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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