1
as in followers
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
Relevance
2
as in performers
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of imitators
Although Rudolph’s concrete architecture was more complex and soulful than that of many of his imitators, that difference was often overlooked.
—
Anthony Paletta, Curbed, 13 Jan. 2026
The film introduced new slang into the lexicon, repopularized surf rock, and spawned dozens of fast-talking imitators.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
Despite many aspirants and imitators, there really hasn’t been anything like it since.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
As some of his peers embrace generative artificial intelligence with their own likeness, Morgan Freeman is putting his imitators on notice.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Nov. 2025
This quickly became the world's best-selling pen and was soon followed by many imitators that sold in the billions.
—New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
McVay’s offense inspired imitators as his assistant coaches spread across the NFL over the next few seasons, and while new defensive schemes famously evolved to counter it, 11 personnel seemed a permanent fixture of a league hell-bent on passing.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
The next two years saw the opening of imitators such as Pace, BJ’s, and Sam’s Club.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
The oud that launched a thousand imitators, and still outclasses them all.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Anthony Paletta, Curbed, 13 Jan. 2026
The film introduced new slang into the lexicon, repopularized surf rock, and spawned dozens of fast-talking imitators.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
Despite many aspirants and imitators, there really hasn’t been anything like it since.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
As some of his peers embrace generative artificial intelligence with their own likeness, Morgan Freeman is putting his imitators on notice.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Nov. 2025
This quickly became the world's best-selling pen and was soon followed by many imitators that sold in the billions.
—New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
McVay’s offense inspired imitators as his assistant coaches spread across the NFL over the next few seasons, and while new defensive schemes famously evolved to counter it, 11 personnel seemed a permanent fixture of a league hell-bent on passing.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
The next two years saw the opening of imitators such as Pace, BJ’s, and Sam’s Club.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
The oud that launched a thousand imitators, and still outclasses them all.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitators
Noun
-
Hippocrates and his followers held on to their belief in natural causes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Zator hopes to take his followers along on a journey to state success.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Alaska, Hawaiian are consistent performers The AQR also singled out Alaska Airlines as the steadiest performer in the industry.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The marketing and positioning of actresses in their roles is tougher than it’s been in recent years because of the insult machinery of man-boy social media and its echoes across society more widely.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Such instances of repetition can’t help feeling like fainter echoes of the original, especially when Season 2 doesn’t deliver the same thrill of discovery as its predecessor.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Two actors received double recognition when the Library of Congress announced its most recent additions to the National Film Registry, a collection of classic films intended to highlight film preservation efforts and the depth and breadth of American film.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Visitors can see authentic movie props, costumes worn by actors and re-creations of iconic scenes and settings.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Dressed in a black leather outfit complete with strings and all, Brandon Miller chose different attire than the traditional garb typically adorned by other impersonators.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Dec. 2025
-
In the good old days, only a few extremely skilled vocal impersonators could fake anyone’s voice enough to fool people familiar with the real thing.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Imitators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitators. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
