impersonate

verb

im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating

transitive verb

: to assume or act the character of : personate
impersonation noun
impersonator noun

Examples of impersonate in a Sentence

He was arrested for impersonating a police officer. a comedian with a talent for impersonating famous politicians and actors
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.
This is not an isolated incident, and there have been regular reports of scammers impersonating state and local law enforcement, and even federal agencies, demanding payment to avoid arrest and prosecution. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 The attacker then tells it to impersonate the real extension by disabling it if permissions allow, changing its name and icon and displaying a fake login popup that looks just like the real thing. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2025 Kimmel, who watched the 2009 drama unfold from his ABC perch, was critical of how O’Brien was treated and of Leno, even impersonating the latter in full hear and makeup for his JKL monologue the day O’Brien announced his departure from The Tonight Show in January 2010. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025 Since Trump's return to the White House, there have been multiple reports of emboldened individuals impersonating ICE agents. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impersonate

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impersonate was in 1715

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Impersonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impersonate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

impersonate

verb
im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating
: to pretend to be some other person
impersonate a police officer
impersonation
-ˌpərs-ᵊn-ˈā-shən
noun
impersonator
-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər
noun

Legal Definition

impersonate

transitive verb
im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating
: to assume (another's or a fictitious identity) without authority and with fraudulent intent
impersonate a police officer
impersonated a public servant by saying he was from the water department
impersonator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impersonate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!