1
as in reproducing
to make an exact likeness of
for the movie, set designers copied the Oval Office in the White House down to the smallest detail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imitating
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior
she shamelessly copies her idol's hairstyle and fashion choices
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Recent Examples of copying
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
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
But admiring an athlete and copying their choices are two different things — and a smiley piercing, especially one done at home, comes with real health risks that the ADA has specifically flagged.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
The American Dental Association (ADA) is now urging fans to think twice before copying the look.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
However, simply copying a movement is not enough.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
The city of Peabody was hacked last summer with the mayor's office saying someone got into their systems and began copying certain files.
—Mike Sullivan, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
Nolte said street-level beauty isn’t copying runway looks, but about absorbing their underlying mood.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
The director’s boss also began copying Amber on emails requesting data.
—Chris Lipp, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
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
But admiring an athlete and copying their choices are two different things — and a smiley piercing, especially one done at home, comes with real health risks that the ADA has specifically flagged.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
The American Dental Association (ADA) is now urging fans to think twice before copying the look.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
However, simply copying a movement is not enough.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
The city of Peabody was hacked last summer with the mayor's office saying someone got into their systems and began copying certain files.
—Mike Sullivan, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
Nolte said street-level beauty isn’t copying runway looks, but about absorbing their underlying mood.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
The director’s boss also began copying Amber on emails requesting data.
—Chris Lipp, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copying
Verb
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Vexingly, the war with Iran is reproducing in macrocosm what those wars taught in microcosm.—
Bernard Avishai,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
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Post-Soviet, Anthropocene, and post-independence frameworks can be overdetermined by these same spatial and political logics, translating them into periodizations that claim to mark historical breaks while reproducing their underlying assumptions.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Jall Wake Up Light Sunrise Alarm Clock uses this science by imitating the sun’s gradual rise and, when used over time, can even ease your circadian rhythm into a pattern.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
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In critiquing Trump on social media, Newsom has taken to imitating the president’s tone, trolling Trump in his all-caps style.—
Meg Kinnard,
Fortune,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Her old septic system was not designed to handle the soggy soil in her leach field, rendering the system unusable for six months out of the year.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
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Despite the contrivance, Jewson makes fascinating theater out of this, flipping the archetypal image of the ballerina, and therefore femininity, on its head and rendering it as a kind of weapon, forged by years of putting up with enormous pain, against a world beset by patriarchal violence.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rather than simply emulating American foundation models, Beijing is investing across the full stack—from chips to software to cyber-physical deployment.—
François Candelon,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
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An eternity band, rumored to be from Cartier and inspired by Monaco’s red-and-white striped flag, emulating its colors via alternating rubies and diamonds.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That talent shines through when this book pushes back against the notion that AI is anywhere close to replicating consciousness.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
11 Mar. 2026
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Because ‘ōhi‘a harvesting is now heavily restricted, replicating that level of craftsmanship today would be near impossible.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With a championship trophy in hand, he was asked about the possibility of repeating – and winning another title in his senior year.—
Justin Barrasso,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
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Now, he will be tasked with working on repeating the hitting ability at Triple-A for the first time.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And Payton conceded that Denver can’t count on duplicating the 12-2 record in one-score games the Broncos achieved last season.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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But current and former leaders of foster care agencies told the Tampa Bay Times last year that the claims were exaggerated or false, and that the Hope Florida program was duplicating existing efforts in child welfare.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Copying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copying. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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