as in imitating
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
was caught aping the substitute teacher's thick accent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aping
The re-enactments, which include bomb-making and transportation, as well as the three-pronged plan to escape, have a flavor that calls to mind ’70s heist and spy films, accompanied by Michael James Lee’s jaunty, genre-aping score.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
Trying To Avoid The Generic However, having minimal buttons is hardly an original design strategy when so many EVs have followed this route (aping Tesla).
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
The failure of Hollywood’s first take on Godzilla, which reimagined this towering icon into a skittering lizard that was clearly aping more from Jurassic Park than any of the kaiju films that came before it, positioned the start of Godzilla’s third era as something of a return to form.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Critics accused him of aping Farage’s rhetoric and warned that Labour could lose votes to the left in trying to court the right.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Ryback shows the younger man's relaxation-as-growth around impressive set pieces, including a segment of aping famed concert pianists Alfred Brendel and Glenn Gould as well as Hoffman's blistering rant after a visit to Dachau.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
Trying To Avoid The Generic However, having minimal buttons is hardly an original design strategy when so many EVs have followed this route (aping Tesla).
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
The failure of Hollywood’s first take on Godzilla, which reimagined this towering icon into a skittering lizard that was clearly aping more from Jurassic Park than any of the kaiju films that came before it, positioned the start of Godzilla’s third era as something of a return to form.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Critics accused him of aping Farage’s rhetoric and warned that Labour could lose votes to the left in trying to court the right.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Ryback shows the younger man's relaxation-as-growth around impressive set pieces, including a segment of aping famed concert pianists Alfred Brendel and Glenn Gould as well as Hoffman's blistering rant after a visit to Dachau.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aping
Verb
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And that is exactly why the fixation on recreating her look and imitating her to a T is so misguided.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
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The indie movie, which runs a tight 1 hour and 21 minutes, is a perfect example of life imitating art — minus the murder.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Switch 2 can use this tool to improve graphics by emulating a docked experience for original Switch games, but Nintendo notes there are drawbacks.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
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Growing up raised by her father in South Carolina, Lambert had to teach herself how to do her hair, often emulating the styles of her aunts and older cousins.—
Noelle Lilley,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The human brain doesn’t achieve intelligence by copying one type of neuron billions of times, but by combining many different specialized cell types and circuits that work together.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
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Trader Joe’s is also facing a legal challenge from Smucker, which has filed a lawsuit accusing it of copying its trademark crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, The Times reported last year.—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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These systems can detect naval mines and trigger them safely by mimicking the movement and acoustic signals of large ships.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
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Even the cabin bathrooms inspire, with their forest-mimicking color palette, ceiling-to-floor windows, and oodles of storage space for all my toiletries and make-up.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aping. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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