1
as in imitation
using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model
your writing style tends to be imitative of whichever author you've recently read
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2
as in synthetic
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials
an imitative extract never has the flavor of the real thing
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Recent Examples of imitative
The results suggested that felines may have imitative skills and the ability to recognize behavioral similarities.
—
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025
Tesfaye and Ortega model two opposing modes of imitative, hollow performance, like a bad actor’s varying notions of good acting.
—Charles Bramesco, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
Explaining Traditions - Folk Behavior In Modern Culture By Simon J. Bronner
This kind of imitative play—not just Cooties but also House or Cops and Robbers—helps children make sense of the world.
—Bruce Handy, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
The social self is avoidance-based, conforming, imitative, predictable, planned, and hardworking.
—Ellen Choi, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitative
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025
Tesfaye and Ortega model two opposing modes of imitative, hollow performance, like a bad actor’s varying notions of good acting.
—Charles Bramesco, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
Explaining Traditions - Folk Behavior In Modern Culture By Simon J. Bronner
This kind of imitative play—not just Cooties but also House or Cops and Robbers—helps children make sense of the world.
—Bruce Handy, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
The social self is avoidance-based, conforming, imitative, predictable, planned, and hardworking.
—Ellen Choi, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitative
Adjective
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The drugs included protonitazene and metonitazene, two synthetic opioids with respective potencies of 100 and 200 times more powerful than morphine, court documents say.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
4 Sep. 2025
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By transforming ethanol into synthetic oils that can serve as HEFA feedstocks, the company’s technology could diversify and strengthen SAF production.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This recycling of historical materials, multiplied by the dozens of characters developed in Bomarzo, produces a mimetic effect.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Aug. 2025
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To get robotic collectives closer to Terminator’s mimetic polyalloy, the team wants to make the robots smaller.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Subtle bits of faux wheat give it additional texture, and there’s an attached loop in the back for easy hanging.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
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Pair the duo with fairy lights, a thin linen runner, and more faux foliage to create a stunning seasonal scene.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As injuries mounted up, the more formulaic Arsenal became, and the yearning for someone more expressive grew.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
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However, despite the model appearing somewhat formulaic, Kishton emphasized that collaborative care programs vary across institutions.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Non-linear conversational branching is just one more feature to remind you that an AI chatbot's simulated perspective is mutable, changeable, and highly guided by your own inputs in addition to the training data that forged its underlying neural network.—
Benj Edwards,
ArsTechnica,
5 Sep. 2025
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The team tested the attacks on a simulated server, Windows PC, and Raspberry Pi device and found that AI-powered ransomware often succeeded in generating and carrying out the malicious instructions.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The conversations, of course, were mock for journalistic purposes.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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The piping adds an athletic flair to the mock-neck sweater and sweatpant set, and small slits on the front of the hems add extra interest.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Just a straight, artificial line.—
Jillian Sederholm,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Sep. 2025
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On Wall Street, Friday’s heaviest weight on the stock market was Nvidia, the chip company that’s become the face of the artificial-intelligence boom.—
Stan Choe,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The active chemicals in cannabis mimic natural brain molecules called endocannabinoids, which stimulate cannabinoid receptors — together, these two elements represent the brain’s endocannabinoid system.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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In this business, modern vinyl finishes that mimic wood, stone, or metal offer affordable design upgrades without expensive renovations.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Imitative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitative. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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