impersonating

verb

present participle of impersonate
1
as in mocking
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior a school intruder was caught trying to impersonate a teacher

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in playing
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 & 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 impersonating Officials in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, are warning about scammers who are impersonating local officials to get money from residents. — Laura Fay, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Someone impersonating Melendez initially called 311, a non-emergency number, on April 10 and said his father shot his sister, giving the address for Melendez. — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026 While chatting about her famous dad, Sunny recalled impersonating him as a kid alongside her older sister Sadie. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026 After impersonating her in a comedy video online, Kori King exclusively reacts to Tokyo Toni’s use of homophobic slurs in a social media video. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 31 July 2026 Additionally, the suit claims that in 2024, hackers created a Gmail account and domain name impersonating a photographer to get a digital technician to send unreleased photos that belonged to Grande. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 July 2026 The hackers created a Gmail account and internet domain impersonating the photographer and tricked the technician into sending Grande’s materials to them, the singer claims. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 27 July 2026 An intern at the company began receiving messages impersonating Ghosemajumder in his first week—the result of criminals scraping LinkedIn to map a new hire’s reporting chain and identify exactly whom to imitate. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 13 July 2026 The Idaho Attorney General’s Office is warning that scammers are impersonating city planning officials in Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell, using public permit information to create realistic fake invoices. — Chadd Cripe. Produced With Ai Assistance, Idaho Statesman, 2 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impersonating
  1. mocking
  2. playing
  3. imitating
  4. portraying
  5. acting
  6. performing
  7. depicting
  8. interpreting
Verb
  • As recently as five years ago, meme users were still mocking Cullen’s sparkling appearance.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • He was criticized for outing LGBTQ+ stars who hadn’t revealed their sexuality publicly, and for bullying others by mocking their misfortune.
    — Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of mocking
Verb
  • Janssens would be one of those defenders playing in front of Suzuki in a new environment.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Manchester City’s defence was wide open in Sunday’s Community Shield defeat to Arsenal and that could be a sign of things to come now that Rodri is playing for Barcelona in La Liga.
    — Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of playing
Verb
  • The future of flooring, countertops, and walls isn’t about imitating nature.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In light of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), Loretto sounds a warning to leaders about imitating the language used by AI tools.
    — Sally Percy, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of imitating
Verb
  • Outside of the Camp Rock franchise, she is best known for portraying Theresa Russo, the family matriarch in Wizards of Waverly Place and later on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.
    — Jacqueline Weiss, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Jeremy Strong is speaking out on portraying Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in Aaron Sorkin‘s forthcoming film, The Social Reckoning.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of portraying
Verb
  • Sandy, apparently blind to the interpersonal nuances ailing the deck team, keeps Aesha on deck, Kayley as acting chief stew, and makes Joe acting bosun for the charter.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The performance earned Bateman an Emmy nomination for acting, while his work behind the camera on Black Rabbit also earned him a directing nomination — a fitting double recognition for an actor increasingly drawn to the other side of the camera.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of acting
Verb
  • Two other teens were cited for careless driving and performing risky stunts in a retail parking lot.
    — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After performing in South Carolina, Barker and Goldstein chartered a private plane for their trip back to Los Angeles.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of performing
Verb
  • There’s a nice localised touch via a railway footbridge on the approach depicting the highs of Southampton’s football history and the delights of the city centre, particularly Oxford Street, can be enjoyed before strolling on to the match.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Dozens of people have sought to attend his court hearings, and stickers and posters depicting him as a saint can be found on almost every lamppost in the vicinity of the lower Manhattan courthouses.
    — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of depicting
Verb
  • If the first wave of longevity tech was about measuring the body, the next will be about interpreting it.
    — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Basically, captioning provides access to words, while interpreting provides access to the message’s linguistic, cultural, emotional, and contextual meaning.
    — Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of interpreting

Browse Nearby Words

impersonates
impersonating
impersonation
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Cite this Entry

“Impersonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impersonating. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of impersonating for Spanish Speakers

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