as in imitated
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
was caught aping the substitute teacher's thick accent
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aped
But none aped the style of an actual Super Bowl ad more cleverly than this one, clearly modeled after Budweiser’s ads that tend to feature horses and inspirational voiceovers.
—
Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
American elites aped European fashions, art, and manners, and Europeans admired American energy and efficiency.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
American elites aped European fashions, art, and manners, and Europeans admired American energy and efficiency.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aped
Verb
-
Often imitated, never duplicated.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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There were plenty of laughs, as Montero imitated Lester’s pickoff throw and the players told some clubhouse stories, including some fights.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Because if our law holds, it will be copied.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Even Target’s decision to use money saved by white-collar job cuts to boost pay for store workers is copied from Walmart, which pivoted faster to digital sales and boosted wages under the protection of its billionaire family, the Waltons.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mahan claimed policies under his watch have reduced crime and the number of unsheltered residents, helped police solve every city homicide for nearly the last four years, and should be emulated statewide.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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This was the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, which was founded in 1971 in Lima, and aimed to create a community, especially involving young people, that emulated the closely supervised life of pre-Vatican II Catholicism.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Barrel jeans mimicked the shape of gear worn by hockey goalies.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
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Opening with Ameriican Requiem, Beyonce pays homage to past artists whose sound had been mimicked and whose words had been stolen over the years.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aped. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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