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
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Recent Examples of impersonating
In 2020, while Scabet was on active duty, a scammer stole photos from his Instagram account and created more than 20 fake accounts impersonating him.
—
Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 9 June 2026
In May, the FBI in Chicago issued a public warning about scammers’ impersonating lawyers and immigration officials across the country.
—Albinson Linares, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Willard has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and impersonating a police officer, according to online court records, which do not show plea or attorney information.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
Last year, Amazon reported a 33% spike in scammers impersonating its customer service.
—Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Two of their supporters were so desperate to be at the game away to Crystal Palace yesterday that they were arrested on suspicion of impersonating stewards (nice try).
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Clinton Wayne Nelan, 33, of Elkins, who was arrested Sunday, is charged with misuse of a local emergency telephone system and impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
That scheme involved operatives impersonating recruiters and executive search consultants on LinkedIn and Telegram and then sending unwitting job-seeking targets standard technical coding tests laced with malware.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Cliff Steinhauer, director of information security and engagement at the National Cybersecurity Alliance, warns that someone impersonating a school district, for example, could send a malicious message prompting users to reset their Canvas password.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 9 June 2026
In May, the FBI in Chicago issued a public warning about scammers’ impersonating lawyers and immigration officials across the country.
—Albinson Linares, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Willard has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and impersonating a police officer, according to online court records, which do not show plea or attorney information.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
Last year, Amazon reported a 33% spike in scammers impersonating its customer service.
—Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Two of their supporters were so desperate to be at the game away to Crystal Palace yesterday that they were arrested on suspicion of impersonating stewards (nice try).
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Clinton Wayne Nelan, 33, of Elkins, who was arrested Sunday, is charged with misuse of a local emergency telephone system and impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
That scheme involved operatives impersonating recruiters and executive search consultants on LinkedIn and Telegram and then sending unwitting job-seeking targets standard technical coding tests laced with malware.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Cliff Steinhauer, director of information security and engagement at the National Cybersecurity Alliance, warns that someone impersonating a school district, for example, could send a malicious message prompting users to reset their Canvas password.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impersonating
Verb
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In Sunday’s video, Bovino implied Mullin was not cut out for the job, mocking his family’s plumbing business.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
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Counter after counter resulted in Laredo Kid mocking Penta from the second rope.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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With fewer matches, shorter timelines and captaincy playing a huge role, identifying the right elite assets can make or break your World Cup Fantasy campaign.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
Simmons fits in nicely alongside eighth-graders Ella Parece and Molly Buffington, all playing a big role in the run this time.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
11 June 2026
Verb
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In a case of life imitating art, this whodunnit explores the investigation behind her disappearance, strangely resembling one of Christie’s own novels, where everyone in her life becomes a suspect, including her brother, Monty (Trevena).—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
1 June 2026
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Zoe, born seven years later, grew up watching them, imitating them and wanting to be them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Among them was Viola Davis, who earned her second Oscar nomination for portraying Aibileen Clark, a maid working for a white family in the 1960s.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
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He's played by Jamie Hector, best known for portraying Jerry Edgar on Bosch and gangster Marlo Stanfield on The Wire.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Hezbollah had not immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue acting against threats originating from Lebanon.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
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In the nearly seven years since her Sweetener World Tour, Grande detoured from her hugely successful pop career to amplify her acting aspirations.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny is performing two shows of his 10-concert Spanish tour in the capital.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
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One account notes that a firefighter was called to assist with moving Hogan from the residence, while other members of the Clearwater Fire Department were already performing lifesaving measures.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The Christ-like image and a video Trump posted depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes were both deleted after backlash.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
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Wynn, who died last spring and for whom a wing of Zumthor’s aerodynamic structure is named, donated a Francis Bacon triptych depicting Bacon’s friend and fellow-painter Lucian Freud, the only Bacons on display in a public Los Angeles museum.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Writing a memoir is a little like opening yourself up to people interpreting your words in a number of different ways.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
4 June 2026
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Whether re-interpreting traditional stories and designs or expressing contemporary issues affecting tribal societies, Native glass artists have created a content-laden body of work.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impersonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impersonating. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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