Synonyms of mimic

mimic 1 of 3

verb

1

as in to imitate

to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of

the comedian was famous for mimicking the President's distinctive lisp

Synonyms & Similar Words

• imitate
• parody
• mock
• do
• spoof
• emulate
• simulate
• caricature
• send up
• perform
• reproduce
• play
• burlesque
• replicate
• pretend
• satirize
• ridicule
• travesty
• enhance
• deride
• duplicate
• lampoon
• jibe
• feign
• parrot
• exaggerate
• ape
• act
• gibe
• elaborate
• personate
• amplify
• stretch
• fake
• embellish
• monkey
• pad
• expand
• play up
• counterfeit
• magnify
• sham
• impersonate
• dissemble
• flesh (out)
• embroider
• overstate
• enlarge (on or upon)
• mime
• copycat
• put on
• pasquinade
• pantomime
• overdraw

2

as in to emulate

to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior

began to learn their language by mimicking the sounds they made

Synonyms & Similar Words

• imitate
• emulate
• copy
• mock
• repeat
• ape
• mime
• echo
• parody
• perform
• play
• copycat
• impersonate
• caricature
• ditto
• burlesque
• reecho
• lampoon
• pantomime
• travesty

mimic

2 of 3

adjective

1

as in simulated

being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials

police were concerned that the mimic gun, although intended only as a toy, might be confused with the real thing in certain situations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• simulated
• synthetic
• faux
• artificial
• fake
• imitation
• dummy
• mock
• imitative
• false
• manufactured
• substitute
• pretend
• ersatz
• designer
• factitious
• counterfeit
• bogus
• sham
• process
• engineered
• manipulated
• man-made
• deceptive
• fabricated
• cultured
• forged
• concocted
• pseudo
• misleading
• unauthentic
• adulterated
• fraudulent
• doctored
• affected
• phoney
• feigned
• phony
• juggled
• fudged
• spurious
• tampered (with)
• pinchbeck
• brummagem

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• natural
• genuine
• true
• legitimate
• bona fide
• authentic
• valuable
• quality
• pure
• premium
• unadulterated

2

as in imitative

using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model

a mimic battle fought by kids playing around in the schoolyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

• imitative
• imitation
• mock
• emulative
• mimetic
• copied
• misleading
• deceptive
• formulaic
• slavish
• apish
• canned
• false
• simulated
• unoriginal
• fraudulent
• synthetic
• artificial
• epigonic
• fake
• epigonous
• substitute
• reproduced
• counterfeit
• duplicated
• sham
• factitious
• transcribed
• forged
• reduplicated
• bogus
• plagiarized
• cribbed
• routine
• backup
• photocopied
• uninspired
• man-made
• perfunctory
• cut-and-dried
• cut-and-dry

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• original
• true
• real
• legitimate
• bona fide
• authentic
• natural
• archetypal
• genuine
• archetypical
• ideal
• classic
• model

mimic

3 of 3

noun

ˈmi-mik 

1

as in imitator

a person who imitates another's voice and mannerisms for comic effect

a gifted mimic who can do a terrific imitation of anyone's voice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• imitator
• performer
• personator
• actor
• impressionist
• impersonator
• entertainer
• parodist
• mime
• mocker
• echo
• copycat
• parrot
• pantomime
• pantomimist
• burlesquer
• caricaturist
• rubber stamp
• satirist
• mimer
• player
• lampooner
• mummer
• ape
• trouper

2

as in mime

an actor in a story performed silently and entirely by body movements

a mimic in black clothes and white facial makeup

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mime
• performer
• pantomime
• clown
• pantomimist
• entertainer
• mummer
• player
• imitator
• impressionist
• impersonator
• aper
• busker
• trouper
• pantaloon

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mimic distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mimic are ape, copy, imitate, and mock. While all these words mean "to make something so that it resembles an existing thing," mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation.

pupils mimicking their teacher

Where would ape be a reasonable alternative to mimic?

While in some cases nearly identical to mimic, ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original.

American fashion designers aped their European colleagues

When would copy be a good substitute for mimic?

The words copy and mimic can be used in similar contexts, but copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible.

copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

When could imitate be used to replace mimic?

The meanings of imitate and mimic largely overlap; however, imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation.

imitate a poet's style

In what contexts can mock take the place of mimic?

In some situations, the words mock and mimic are roughly equivalent. However, mock usually implies imitation with derision.

mocking a vain man's pompous manner

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mimic

Verb

This behavior, hypothesized to help mimic male coloration, could encourage males to avoid seducing uninterested females. —Jules Jacobs, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025

The Fungus That Fights Liver Disease In a mouse model of liver disease — specifically, mice fed a high-fat diet to mimic human MAFLD — those treated with F. foetens showed significant improvements. —Discover Magazine, 6 May 2025

Adjective

Sting is also a mimic, able to copy Charlotte’s whistle, even though, as the slightly creepy would-be scientist living upstairs tells her, spiders don’t have vocal cords. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024

These JLab earbuds come in 16 colors, including seven that closely mimic skin tones. —Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 8 May 2024

Noun

Budgerigars are both impressive vocal mimics and also have complex vocalizations called warbles that are a mix of noisy and harmonic calls. —Ars Technica, 19 Mar. 2025

Phishing sites are fraudulent mimics of login pages for sensitive sites. —PCMAG, 24 Jan. 2025