1
as in follower
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way
an Elvis imitator in a sequinned jumpsuit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in performer
a person who imitates another's voice and mannerisms for comic effect
that comedian is a hilarious imitator of a surprising array of current celebrities
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Recent Examples of imitator
Baseball is a copycat league, and success breeds imitators.
—
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
In Karp’s telling, Basquiat is someone who Just Did Things, like today’s defense tech founders, who possess a similar kind of creative conviction, as opposed to the consumer tech imitators of yesteryear.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
This cheesecake imitator is delicious topped with fresh strawberries, but other fruits can be substituted, such as pineapple or peaches.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
This is the first Hitchcock film that fully crystallizes his distinct sense of dark humor, which is one of the key elements that sets his thrillers apart from those of his contemporaries and imitators.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Swimbaits, stick baits, creature baits, crawfish imitators, and big ribbontail worms will all catch fish on a Texas rig.
—Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
For decades, Gallup’s company and its imitators improved their techniques.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Along the way, the festival has outlasted many imitators and weathered shifting food trends by staying nimble.
—Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The imitators are increasingly convincing, especially as AI image and video generators get better by the day.
—John Whyte, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
In Karp’s telling, Basquiat is someone who Just Did Things, like today’s defense tech founders, who possess a similar kind of creative conviction, as opposed to the consumer tech imitators of yesteryear.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
This cheesecake imitator is delicious topped with fresh strawberries, but other fruits can be substituted, such as pineapple or peaches.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
This is the first Hitchcock film that fully crystallizes his distinct sense of dark humor, which is one of the key elements that sets his thrillers apart from those of his contemporaries and imitators.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Swimbaits, stick baits, creature baits, crawfish imitators, and big ribbontail worms will all catch fish on a Texas rig.
—Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
For decades, Gallup’s company and its imitators improved their techniques.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Along the way, the festival has outlasted many imitators and weathered shifting food trends by staying nimble.
—Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The imitators are increasingly convincing, especially as AI image and video generators get better by the day.
—John Whyte, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitator
Noun
-
Artists affiliated with the Wide Awakes have adopted the original group’s open-eye iconography to symbolize the new wave of followers’ social awakening.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Streamers may have a variety of sources of income, including sponsorship, donations from followers, affiliate links, selling merchandise, and tournament winnings.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No performer has ever won back-to-back guest drama actor Emmys for the same role.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The determination means Lane will be the show’s only potential leading performer in this year’s Tony race.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Detecting chemical radicals The testing showed that MoQNs maintain full quantum functionality in the cellular environment, performing complex tasks such as spin-echo measurements and relaxometry.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Because what Wilson created with Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is a house of shadows and echoes.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In a recent Equity survey, 71 % of actors from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds still reported that hair and makeup departments were unable to meet their needs, something that undermining wellbeing, authenticity and production values.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Many of his royal relatives have also made memorable trips over the years, with experiences ranging from trying a hot dog for the first time to dancing with actor John Travolta.—
Kierra Frazier,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Upstairs, impressionists, writers, socialites, and painters who moved in Proust’s orbit, from Sarah Bernhardt to Emile Zola and Claude Monet, lent their names to a room or suite.—
Lindsey Tramuta,
Robb Report,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The awards show is set for March 31, with stand-up comedian, actor and impressionist Matt Friend as host.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
From across the barbecue pit, see an Elvis impersonator, full pompadour over skinny jeans, plus a girlfriend who looks exactly like Priscilla.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
For Oakley, being a drag king is about challenging masculinity rather than impersonating someone, which is what older male impersonators have traditionally done.—
Nicole Macias Garibay,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The entertainer gained notoriety on social media in the late 2010s for his sketches mocking niche everyday scenarios.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
Wilson, the reigning entertainer of the year at the ACMs, will be defending her title against a first-time contender in that category, Moroney, along with Stapleton, Johnson, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The sounds green noise mimics do have some research behind them, though.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Her jokester father worked for a railway; her realtor mother was a gifted mimic whose impressions of clients enlivened family dinners.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitator. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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