imitate

verb

im·​i·​tate ˈi-mə-ˌtāt How to pronounce imitate (audio)
imitated; imitating

transitive verb

1
: to follow as a pattern, model, or example
2
: mimic, counterfeit
can imitate his father's booming voice
3
: to be or appear like : resemble
4
: to produce a copy of : reproduce
imitator noun
Choose the Right Synonym for imitate

copy, imitate, mimic, ape, mock mean to make something so that it resembles an existing thing.

copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible.

copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation.

imitate a poet's style

mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation.

pupils mimicking their teacher

ape may suggest presumptuous, unoriginal, or inept imitating of a superior original.

American fashion designers aped their European colleagues

mock usually implies imitation with derision.

mocking a vain man's pompous manner

Examples of imitate in a Sentence

Her style has been imitated by many other writers. He's very good at imitating his father's voice. She can imitate the calls of many different birds.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Paul Barrett: Zuckerberg Is Appeasing Trump Zuckerberg is imitating Musk to curry favor with Trump. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025 However, just months after their characters shared their first kiss in 2019's in Spider-Man: Far from Home, life imitated art for the pair. Erin Clack, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025 Some scenes were removed entirely, and the entire film was subjected to the process of ‘stretch-printing,’ a not-very-satisfying way of forcing modern sound projectors to imitate the slower frame rate of many silent films. Jane Levere, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 Call it a case of life imitating art: The John Wick franchise kicks off when a retired hitman, played by Reeves, is targeted by burglars who break into his house, steal his car, and kill his dog. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for imitate 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin imitātus, past participle of imitārī "to follow as a pattern, copy," frequentative derivative of a presumed verb *imā- "make a copy," perhaps going back to Indo-European *h2im-, whence also Hittite hima-, himma- "substitute, replica, toy"

Note: Aside from Hittite, evidence for an etymon *h2im- is lacking. See also etymology and note at emulous.

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of imitate was in 1534

Dictionary Entries Near imitate

Cite this Entry

“Imitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imitate. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

imitate

verb
im·​i·​tate ˈim-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce imitate (audio)
imitated; imitating
1
: to follow as a pattern, model, or example
2
: to be or appear similar to
3
: to copy exactly
imitator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on imitate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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