as in reproductions
something that is made to look exactly like something else
challenged me to tell the real roses from the silk imitations
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Recent Examples of imitations
Wiseman was born in Boston, his father a prominent attorney, his mother an administrator at a children's psychiatric ward and a would-be actor who entertained her son with stories and imitations.
—
ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
But Baehren and Carvalho pointed out that these behaviors, which took place rarely and in captivity, might only be imitations of human communication.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
At first, its proliferation seemed to constitute a typical case of Hollywood copycatting; Big Little Lies becomes a smash, wins eight Emmys, begets flimsy imitations that lots of people watch anyway.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Now, other influencers are creating imitations of Shirley’s video in additional states.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 4 Jan. 2026
The candy was so popular that other companies created dupes and flavor imitations that were sold across major retailers.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
The hostile circumstances in which Marx made his imitations led some to see his dolls as symbols of depravity.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
Many have tried to recreate Justin and Britney at the 2001 VMAs, and many have been but cheap imitations.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 9 Dec. 2025
In a global world of imitations and synthetics, fast fashion needs to take a seat on the back burner, and the fashion industry needs to return to the spotlight the use of natural materials that have worked from the dawn of time.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 3 Dec. 2025
ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
But Baehren and Carvalho pointed out that these behaviors, which took place rarely and in captivity, might only be imitations of human communication.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
At first, its proliferation seemed to constitute a typical case of Hollywood copycatting; Big Little Lies becomes a smash, wins eight Emmys, begets flimsy imitations that lots of people watch anyway.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Now, other influencers are creating imitations of Shirley’s video in additional states.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 4 Jan. 2026
The candy was so popular that other companies created dupes and flavor imitations that were sold across major retailers.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
The hostile circumstances in which Marx made his imitations led some to see his dolls as symbols of depravity.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
Many have tried to recreate Justin and Britney at the 2001 VMAs, and many have been but cheap imitations.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 9 Dec. 2025
In a global world of imitations and synthetics, fast fashion needs to take a seat on the back burner, and the fashion industry needs to return to the spotlight the use of natural materials that have worked from the dawn of time.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitations
Noun
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There is home decor and housewares such as colorful bottles, milk glass, old wooden crates, ironstone pitchers, crocks and jugs, and more; art; smaller size furniture items; puzzles and games; vintage reproductions; and timeworn furnishings.—
Pamela Brown,
Hartford Courant,
21 Feb. 2026
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The images captured by bystanders and immigration agents were reminiscent of the lynching postcards that white spectators once bought and traded — reproductions of retributive violence, tailor-made to titillate and intimidate.—
Tressie McMillan Cottom,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Single copies of Tuesday’s Globe newspaper will not be in stores, according to the Globe.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
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If not quite distillation, Anthropic was recently accused of copyright violations by thousands of authors, allegedly downloading books in bulk from shadow libraries to train its AI models, rather than buying copies and scanning them itself.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These are the narrative details of great costuming; not one-to-one replicas, but looks that capture the spirit, priorities and instincts of the person onscreen.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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For spring 2026, the handbags are not simply replicas of former versions but as reedits with the backdrop of nostalgia.—
Thomas Waller,
Footwear News,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imitations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitations. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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