mimic 1 of 3

mimic

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adjective

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mimic

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noun

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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

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

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 mimic
Verb
The team used functional MRI to record brain activity while exposing 20 healthy adults to the five basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami) and to matching retronasal odors – smells delivered through the mouth to mimic how food releases aroma during chewing. New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025 Even the winding crown mimics the ride’s control knobs. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The vials hold lunar simulants – dust and rocks — that mimic surface materials found at high latitudes on the moon. Leonard David, Space.com, 15 Aug. 2025 Traditional crawfish-and-rice farms in Louisiana, as well as in Gentz’s corner of Texas, mimic natural freshwater wetlands that are being lost to saltwater intrusion from sea level rise. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
Most hotels, even the starry ones, traffic in just a newsletter mimic of the real stuff. Literary Hub, 4 June 2025 Samus is attacked and infected by one of them; although she can be saved, her infected Suit soon becomes the SA-X mimic, which wreaks havoc in the BSL's research space station and liberates other X parasites. Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mimic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mimic
Verb
  • To achieve the characteristic soap-nails effect, the color should be applied in thin layers and have a glossy finish, imitating the transparency and freshness of a wet bar of soap.
    Irene Reyes, Glamour, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Lewis allegedly obtained the spray -- designed to imitate fecal odor -- from an online distributor, according to the sheriff's office.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • While the aesthetics of Silent Hill have long been understood and even emulated in titles like The Medium, the series hasn't challenged its audience like this in a long time.
    Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
  • The collection is designed to emulate a full color wheel, giving travelers (and style lovers in general) endless ways to express their personality with every step.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Traditional LLMs have their own set of problems, but the introduction of simulated reasoning did significantly upgrade their capabilities, and now the same could be happening with AI robotics.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
  • This led to measuring any particle orientation or strength changes after a simulated quake.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Third-party imitative learning from an immigrating parrot’s flockmates may facilitate overall group integration and social bonding and may even give rise to cultural conventions of coordinated movements or gestures.
    GrrlScientist, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • In addition to thinking about how to escape John’s imitative poetry and scholasticism, Constantine had to consider his own future.
    Gregory Jusdanis, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Speaking of Ripley imitators, look no further than Saltburn.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Sep. 2025
  • Though Cox has a small role and Panettiere returns, the lack of legacy characters makes this feel like a cheap imitator at times.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The actors were mimes who were in costume, while the background plates were shot in Africa.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 Aug. 2025
  • One of the world's biggest events, but artists pay their own way Every August, Edinburgh's streets fill with acrobats, mimes, and people in all sorts of costumes.
    Lauren Frayer, NPR, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Katie Couric is parodying Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle jeans ad for a good cause.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Last Wednesday marked one week since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative pundit whom South Park parodied earlier this season.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Two House Democrats were also copied on the letters.
    Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Think about Nobu — everybody copies their rolls.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mimic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mimic. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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