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Definition of mocknext
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mock

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adjective

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mock

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mock distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mock are ape, copy, imitate, and mimic. While all these words mean "to make something so that it resembles an existing thing," mock usually implies imitation with derision.

mocking a vain man's pompous manner

When is ape a more appropriate choice than mock?

The synonyms ape and mock are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 mock?

While the synonyms copy and mock are close in meaning, copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible.

copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

Where would imitate be a reasonable alternative to mock?

Although the words imitate and mock have much in common, imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation.

imitate a poet's style

When is it sensible to use mimic instead of mock?

While in some cases nearly identical to mock, mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation.

pupils mimicking their teacher

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 mock
Verb
On a bench outside, as mums with their toddlers drink coffee, Trusty is talking about his start in a sport he was mocked for playing as a youngster. Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 16 May 2026 Jon Stewart also mocked the golden display. Tiago Ventura, Time, 15 May 2026
Adjective
It is blocked to prohibit vehicles from using the mock street. Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 16 May 2026 The mock neck is slightly elevated, while the wide-leg cut keeps things comfortable for long travel days. Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Noun
This list is organized by position and also includes players who have appeared in our mock drafts and Brugler’s seven-round mock. Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2026 For all his royal status, Hamlet is a figure of resistance, who targets, mocks, humiliates, and ultimately kills a king. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mock
Verb
  • The Onion has long delighted readers with a mix of highbrow and stupidly silly news stories that parody the latest social trends and political tirades, highlighting their absurdity—and deeper truths.
    Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2026
  • On the Season 44 premiere in September 2018, Damon parodied Kavanaugh’s Senate testimony, depicting his belligerence and frequently yelling, referencing beer, among other things — using many of the actual quotes from the hearing.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • Kripke later shared a screenshot of two of Musk's posts and ridiculed the billionaire for his comedic instincts.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
  • But Shilo spoke up for his brother, and he was ridiculed for that.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • The department’s internal affairs unit was investigating Saulter on allegations of falsifying time sheets, disobeying a direct order and failing to properly report part-time employment, according to the letter.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
  • Authorities last August removed Dodik from the post of the president and temporarily banned him from politics for disobeying Schmidt's decisions.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • Garcia, who wrote and directed the movie, has come up with some crisply clever faux-noir dialogue, and part of the joke is that Joe speaks in his hardboiled pensées while everyone else talks like a normal person.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 May 2026
  • Unlike many faux-jean pants that always look a little off, these still have that classic denim look.
    Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026
Adjective
  • Off Campus uses the messy lives of these athletes to explore romance tropes like fake-dating plots, enemies-to-lovers twists, secret relationships, and more.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2026
  • The Sentinel story published earlier this month featured both Gavi’s and Bastien’s cases as examples of Florida’s inconsistent approach to dealing with nurses who received degrees from roughly two dozen schools that sold fake nursing degrees to more than 7,000 people over the past several years.
    Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
Noun
  • Just ask Harris, whose handling of the border under Biden became a running joke in politics.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 14 May 2026
  • Now, if there’s some people telling these jokes at a church service, that would be one thing.
    Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • The album debuted at Number One on the Billboard 200 and brought in record-breaking first week sales, selling 641,000 total copies in its first week of release — the most by a group since Billboard started tracking streaming numbers in 2014 — including 532,000 in pure album sales.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
  • Virgin with Codex is your usual Flemish virgin—a loose copy of a 16th-century painting by an anonymous artist in the Courtauld Gallery’s collection.
    Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Researchers will wear sensors while carrying out laboratory tasks, allowing the system to capture movements, workflows, and decision-making patterns that robots can later imitate.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 May 2026
  • What makes the campaign especially convincing is that each stage imitates familiar Apple, Google or Microsoft software behavior many Mac users already trust and routinely encounter.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mock. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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