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
Grain-free cat food features animal protein as the primary ingredient and is perfect for owners who want to mimic their cat’s natural diet and those with cats that are allergic or sensitive to grain. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025 McKinley directly mimics O’Neill’s style multiple times in the play, even paraphrasing famous speeches, but the archness and old-school theatricality of O’Neill is largely missing. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 23 June 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
Males try to mate with infected mimics, females are drawn in by the performance, and the fungus passes silently between them all. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025 Future studies may also explore whether other highly skilled vocal mimics, such as lyrebirds, share similar neural structures, offering further clues into the evolution of speech. Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mimic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mimic
Verb
  • Fortunately, Lehane is a great enough crime author to be able to imitate a terrible one(*), and being more overt about that helps to better establish who Dave is.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
  • In a clever flex of corporate synergy, Apple promoted its first summer blockbuster with the release of a haptic trailer that imitates the purr of an F1 engine in the palms of your hands.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • In time, the Barmy Army’s move into the travel business would be emulated to allow fans to follow India on tour.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 22 June 2025
  • Instead of idolizing sitcom trendsetters, many emulate lifestyle creators who promote capsule wardrobes, skincare routines, and age-appropriate yet refined looks.
    Dia Gallo, Parents, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • McMahon looked down on what wrestling had been, events where storytelling took place in the ring through simulated fights.
    Marc Raimondi June 25, Literary Hub, 25 June 2025
  • The Field Day gives radio operators a chance to test their skills under simulated emergency conditions using only alternative power sources such as solar panels, batteries and generators.
    Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • The word was likely imitative of the deep humming sound male bees make.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • The results suggested that felines may have imitative skills and the ability to recognize behavioral similarities.
    Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Movement coordinator Polly Bennett helped craft each actor’s pose, but the fact that they were stopped halfway through a gesture put a strain on even the highest-caliber mime.
    Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025
  • At times, Expedition 33 feels like a twisted fairy tale, something akin to Alice in Wonderland but far more French (complete with mimes and marionettes).
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • From the looks of it, almost everyone in GTA VI will be some version of a Florida Man or Woman, which suits the tone of the franchise which has routinely parodied American culture from all angles.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2025
  • In an April 24 interview with Piers Morgan, Bill Maher responded to Larry David’s New York Times op-ed parodying him.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • An email that copied Peizer also laid out the scope of the problems: Cigna was worried about budget overruns and lack of cost savings, and questioned Ontrak’s cost calculations.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 24 June 2025
  • Please do not copy and paste FT articles and redistribute by email or post to the web.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • In a statement, Kraft Heinz said nearly 90% of its U.S. products are already free of synthetic dyes.
    Maria Godoy, NPR, 17 June 2025
  • The push to end synthetic dyes In April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the HHS asked the food industry to stop using synthetic food dyes.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 17 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mimic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mimic. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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