1
as in to emulate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
teenage musicians who imitate whichever rock stars are hot
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2
as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
imitating someone's stutter and laughing at them is a cruel thing to do
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3
as in to reproduce
to make an exact likeness of
a second-rate artist who was notorious for imitating the works of other painters
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imitate
An older player was driving the younger ones and pretended to get lost in an isolated section of the county, where a group of accomplices emerged in masks and black clothing, imitating an abduction with at least one gun and one knife, according to the district attorney.
—
Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 1 May 2025
Vaccines as a whole work by imitating an infection to teach the body how to recognize and defend itself from disease without experiencing the dangers of an actual infection, according to the CDC.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 1 May 2025
Christians are to imitate Christ, the true Good Samaritan, called to view all as nothing less than kin in sin and in the promise of salvation.
—Anna Rowlands, Time, 12 May 2025
Volunteers rappelled from the top of a building as sirens went off and firecrackers erupted — apparently to imitate shelling in one drill in the Indian port city of Mumbai.
—Diaa Hadid, NPR, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitate
Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 1 May 2025
Vaccines as a whole work by imitating an infection to teach the body how to recognize and defend itself from disease without experiencing the dangers of an actual infection, according to the CDC.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 1 May 2025
Christians are to imitate Christ, the true Good Samaritan, called to view all as nothing less than kin in sin and in the promise of salvation.
—Anna Rowlands, Time, 12 May 2025
Volunteers rappelled from the top of a building as sirens went off and firecrackers erupted — apparently to imitate shelling in one drill in the Indian port city of Mumbai.
—Diaa Hadid, NPR, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitate
Verb
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A lot of people emulate some sort of legacy in order to shake the purse strings of their audience.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
23 May 2025
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Who wants their grandchildren to emulate such limited vocabulary, negative language and divisive rhetoric?—
Christine Ledbetter,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Content Creators And Brand Ambassadors Gstaad Guy parades in Loro Piana, and the European Kid parodies luxury culture.—
Matteo Atti,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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So in this latest version of her avatar, she’s created an Alison whose dilemma parodies contemporary celebrity culture, while also parodying herself, the author.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Set in the dystopian society of Gilead, The Handmaid’s Tale follows June (aka Offred) as she’s forced to reproduce with a high-ranking commander, all while secretly plotting to overthrow the totalitarian government and reunite with the daughter who was taken from her.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
23 May 2025
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The transition occurred partly because amniotes evolved to reproduce with hard-shelled, rather than soft-shelled, eggs.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Verb
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But many others require clinicians to copy and paste transcripts, adding friction instead of removing it.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
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To Goldsborough, the fact that Joker's behavior got copied by his peers reveals the strength of these monkeys' drive to learn from others, even if the behavior doesn't completely make sense or have an obvious, immediate benefit.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Read: The attack on trans rights won’t end there The impossible becoming possible is a hard thing to process—and easier to reject or mock than to understand.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
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Film director Wes Anderson mocked President Donald Trump over his plan to slap tariffs on foreign films made outside of the United States.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Verb
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Elias’ main strategy has been to replicate the success of his former team, the Houston Astros, who reached the AL Championship seven straight years from 2017-2023 while winning two World Series.—
Paul Bledsoe,
Baltimore Sun,
21 May 2025
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Russian officials also hoped a reconciliation with Washington would lead to a return of American companies, at least the high-tech giants whose services and products Moscow has not been able to replicate under sanctions.—
Anatoly Kurmanaev,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Verb
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Best Wayfair Patio Furniture Memorial Day Sales If staycations are on the calendar this year, outdoor furniture that mimics the luxury and comfort of a resort is a must.—
Rachel Trujillo,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2025
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Students can also participate in team challenges that mimic real-world collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
Verb
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No world leader did more to help normalize and enable Trump early on than the late Abe.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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But then, proving the impossible possible is what these films have done from the start.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Imitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitate. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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