Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Thesaurus

impersonate

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of impersonate

1 to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
  • He was arrested for impersonating a police officer.
Synonyms of impersonate

act, masquerade (as), personate, play, pose (as)
Words Related to impersonate

ape, copy, imitate, mime, mimic, mock, monkey, parody, travesty

perform, portray
2 to present a portrayal or performance of
  • Interpreters at the living history museum impersonate figures who are known to have actually lived in the colonial town.
Synonyms of impersonate

act, do, interpret, perform, play, portray
Words Related to impersonate

depict, dramatize, render, represent

act out, enact, pantomime, playact, role-play, take on

overact, overplay, underplay

ape, clown, ham, imitate, masquerade, mime, mimic, pose (as)

star (in)

coact, costar

Learn More about impersonate

  1. See words that rhyme with impersonate Dictionary: Definition of impersonate Spanish Central: Translation of impersonate Nglish: Translation of impersonate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of impersonate for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up impersonate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

slew

play

a large number

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. symbiote 'an organism living in symbiosis'

  2. charlatan 'faker or fraud'

  3. lowlife 'a person of low moral character'

  4. kakistocracy 'government by the worst people'

  5. slimeball 'a morally repulsive or odious person'

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-5adf93a49b0b2
The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

"In point" only lives in this phrase.

alt-5adf5d017e6bf
‘Sleight’ or ‘Slight’ of Hand?

Watch closely and be amazed.

alt-5ade0f1ca7a0c
'Complement' vs. 'Compliment'

The distinction is clear (now).

image236659401
Words from Letters in the Greek Alphabet

When English borrows from another alphabet

Ask the Editors

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

image1926873504
Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz
cats-on-impossible-timber
More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

Take the quiz
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

Take the quiz
Dictionary Devil
Dictionary Devil

The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?

Play the game