1
as in emulating
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
teenage musicians who imitate whichever rock stars are hot
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in parodying
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 copying
to make an exact likeness of
a second-rate artist who was notorious for imitating the works of other painters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imitating
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, previously said in a statement that accounts imitating other people go against their terms of service and are removed when flagged.
—
Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Broncos fans have rallied around their backup quarterback, with thousands of fans changing their social media avatars to a picture of Stidham’s face, photoshopped with sunglasses and headphones, imitating a LeBron James meme.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
An icon worth imitating, to be sure.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Trump celebrates our nation’s founding while imitating tyrant King George III, argues columnist Jackie Calmes.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
So art is indeed imitating art.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
Two hours later, the trainer — now in a foam Michelin-man neck-to-heel suit — crouches near the box, imitating a quiet intruder.
—Megan Sauer
tasia Jensen, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Users appeared to be imitating and showing off to one another.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2026
Lopez said, imitating comments she’s seen on the internet.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Broncos fans have rallied around their backup quarterback, with thousands of fans changing their social media avatars to a picture of Stidham’s face, photoshopped with sunglasses and headphones, imitating a LeBron James meme.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
An icon worth imitating, to be sure.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Trump celebrates our nation’s founding while imitating tyrant King George III, argues columnist Jackie Calmes.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
So art is indeed imitating art.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
Two hours later, the trainer — now in a foam Michelin-man neck-to-heel suit — crouches near the box, imitating a quiet intruder.
—Megan Sauer
tasia Jensen, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Users appeared to be imitating and showing off to one another.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2026
Lopez said, imitating comments she’s seen on the internet.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitating
Verb
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The amber hue of the beaded chokers acts as a neutral color against the lapis-blue top, emulating a similar warmth to the yellow-gold pendant to tie the accessories together.—
Abby Morgan Lebet,
Glamour,
3 Feb. 2026
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Brosnan, as Steele, was always impeccably turned out; Newsom began emulating him, coiffing his hair, wearing a suit to school.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In response, track athlete Alysia Montaño crafted a video in conjunction with the New York Times, parodying Nike’s sponsor’s ad.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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These are the exact type of tried-and-true New Yorkers and New York hip-hop heads the Bodega Boys blew up by parodying with their frequently unhinged back-and-forth.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The director’s boss also began copying Amber on emails requesting data.—
Chris Lipp,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Big data models learn by copying existing actions—how to fold clothes, write a dissertation, or create a video of a pig hoverboarding through space—by parsing previous examples and extrapolating similar behavior.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This approach avoids measurement errors introduced by elastic components while still mimicking biological energy storage and return.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
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Each stimulus was paired with laser stimulation of a brain region called the amygdala, mimicking a dopamine hit.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers, have been mocking the documentary.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
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Link was captured on Ring camera footage mocking and belittling Jimenez after shooting him, prosecutors say.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The development of European cartography was driven by the Age of Exploration from the 15th to 17th centuries and entrepreneurial activities associated with reproducing and selling maps.—
Melinda Laituri,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
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If some species can continue reproducing even under challenging conditions, that resilience could buy ecosystems valuable time.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Minneapolis police chief says the difference between their policies on dealing with protesters and what federal officers have been doing is immediately clear.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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For Jones, doing his part meant observing, which led to at least four officers jumping on his back, handcuffing him, crushing his legs, and grinding his forehead into the frozen concrete.—
Evan Minsker,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To create the new estimate, scientists conducted experiments replicating core temperatures and pressures, using iron as a stand-in for the liquid metal core.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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For one thing, having an arsenal of outfits that people cannot stop thinking about (and replicating) decades later.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitating. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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