copycat 1 of 2

as in imitator
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way every rock singer who makes it big soon has a whole cluster of copycats

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copycat

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to imitate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior a performer who slavishly copycats another never rises to the level of true stardom

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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 copycat
Noun
Makers of copycat weight-loss drugs and digital health companies that sell them are bracing for upheaval now that the Food and Drug Administration has declared Novo Nordisk's blockbusters Ozempic and Wegovy are no longer in shortage. Maya Goldman, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025 In 2022, over 109,000 people in the U.S. died of drug overdoses, roughly 76,000 of which were caused by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl or its copycats. Gabrielle M. Etzel, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Feb. 2025
Verb
Park mentioned the case of the Boston Marathon Bomber, in which social media led to misidentification of suspects, and possibly to copycat cases. Michael M. Dewitt, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2021 Its new twist on phishing alerts, though, could give it and copycat criminal hackers one more edge in a fight that’s already unfair. Brian Barrett, Wired, 14 Oct. 2021 See All Example Sentences for copycat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copycat
Verb
  • Not to be redistributed, copied, or modified in any way.
    Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 20 Mar. 2025
  • This mom found the best way to get her toddler to eat veggies is to copy what was done 200 million years ago.
    Annabelle Canela, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Munn shared that the motion is a fidget of Mulaney's that Malcolm has learned to imitate.
    Hannah Sacks, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Younger narwhals also tended to imitate the behavior of older ones, indicating that social learning could influence how narwhals use their tusks, according to the study.
    Julianna Bragg, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Natalie is now a model and influencer with thousands of followers on Instagram.
    McKinley Franklin, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • As a result, compared to 2023, total engagement grew by 555% (across four channels), and Instagram followers increased by 16%, demonstrating stronger resonance and interest in our global channels.
    Charles Taylor, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Knicks wanted to replicate the success Minnesota’s league-best defense found pairing Towns with a true defensive anchor in Rudy Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Focus On Replicating Human Problem-Solving Methods ​To combat AI bias, companies should focus on training AI systems to understand and replicate human problem-solving methods.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Sequences like the ambulance chase recall the heyday of Jerry Bruckheimer and Joel Silver movies, which Berk and Olsen tried to emulate while putting their own spin on the genre via the film’s unconventional protagonist.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025
  • But if Barnes’s collection is a model to emulate, the saga of his organization is a lesson in founder’s-syndrome perils.
    Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • There are also echoes of The Exorcist when The Man (Neil Sandilands) arrives, a cryptic, bearded shaman whose presence is about as reassuring as Mel Gibson on a good day.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
  • But there were also echoes of resentment from pop fans who criticized Gomez for feigning helplessness instead of taking action, despite her promising to do so in the clip.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
  • No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher, Cake Eater will be released Dec. 30 and is available now for preorder, wherever books are sold.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Among the innovations was Modern Meadow, a U.S.-based company founded in 2011 in Nutley, N.J., that has developed a material combining a soy protein structure and a nylon matrix to mimic closely the natural properties of collagen found in leather.
    Cristina Manfredi, WWD, 11 Mar. 2025
  • What To Know Stanford Medicine researchers have identified a naturally occurring molecule, BRP, that mimics the appetite-suppressing effects of semaglutide while potentially avoiding some of its side effects, such as nausea, constipation, and muscle loss.
    William Lambers, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Copycat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copycat. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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