as in to play
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior likes to personate the man of the world, but he's still the small-town hick that he always was

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 personate Till’s motifs swept though the ensemble, as horns, clarinets, bassoons, violin all had a chance to personate the character. By Libby Hanssen, kansascity.com, 3 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for personate
Verb
  • Still, Ordine thinks most wagering on the conclave is likely to happen informally among friends, similar to the squares people play for the Super Bowl.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 4 May 2025
  • Anthony, The Athletic’s No. 1 prospect, has played all three outfield positions and is hitting .292 with a .938 OPS in 27 games.
    Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • These fraudulent texts generally try to impersonate the toll service in each state.
    Kendrick Marshall, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Attackers have been observed impersonating the FBI’s own Internet Crime Complaint Center in hacking scams.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Its release created a wave of immense hype—and existential panic—about AI's ability to imitate human communication and composition.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2025
  • At its core is the capability of computer systems or algorithms to imitate intelligent human behavior – and in some cases improve how to interpret large amounts of data to make decisions and solve problems.
    Jill Standish, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Does the fact that these Black leaders are among the rich that dandies would have mocked savor the inheritance of the style tradition or sully it?
    Akilah Sailers, Essence, 28 Apr. 2025
  • In the first round, the team stayed put at No. 14 and still landed a player that was widely mocked to the team in tight end Tyler Warren.
    Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In the slightly longer term, Edward Berger’s Oscar-winning papal drama Conclave has led to a sense of intrigue in terms of the succession process and who may replace Francis, who was himself portrayed by Jonathan Pryce in Fernando Meirelles 2019 movie The Two Popes.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2025
  • This hiatus was reportedly attributed to an injury sustained by Bo Dallas, who portrays the Uncle Howdy character, as WWE had specific creative plans in place for the entire group.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • How to act during strong winds Take shelter: Immediately go inside a sturdy building during a high wind warning or severe thunderstorm warning and move to an interior room or basement.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • An effective leader’s true test lies in acting on this feedback.
    Mamie Jones, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Personate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/personate. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

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