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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imitate
Life is officially imitating art for Dani Rojas from Ted Lasso.
—
Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Once established, oaks can grow moderately fast if kept watered and then mulched with compost to eliminate competition and imitate forest conditions.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
Those cells are highly responsive to mechanical stress—the reason weight-bearing exercise strengthens the skeleton—and the device is designed to imitate that signal through subtle vibration.
—Alice Gregory, Vogue, 11 May 2026
Streep imitated how Hawn, 80, would arrive on set, always apologetic.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for imitate
Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Once established, oaks can grow moderately fast if kept watered and then mulched with compost to eliminate competition and imitate forest conditions.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
Those cells are highly responsive to mechanical stress—the reason weight-bearing exercise strengthens the skeleton—and the device is designed to imitate that signal through subtle vibration.
—Alice Gregory, Vogue, 11 May 2026
Streep imitated how Hawn, 80, would arrive on set, always apologetic.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for imitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitate
Verb
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Her own of-the-moment style was something that many Ron Herman shoppers sought to emulate.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
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His biggest achievement at City has been winning the Premier League-Champions League-FA Cup treble in the 2022-23 season, emulating the feat of Manchester United in 1999.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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The Onion has long delighted readers with a mix of highbrow and stupidly silly news stories that parody the latest social trends and political tirades, highlighting their absurdity—and deeper truths.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2026
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On the Season 44 premiere in September 2018, Damon parodied Kavanaugh’s Senate testimony, depicting his belligerence and frequently yelling, referencing beer, among other things — using many of the actual quotes from the hearing.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
10 May 2026
Verb
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According to the specs, the Spectra 6 can reproduce up to 60,000 colors with better saturation and contrast than any previous e-ink tech.—
Joe Salas
May 17,
New Atlas,
17 May 2026
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The moisture can create a perfect haven, if bacteria is present, to reproduce when the baked potato cools down while wrapped in foil and hits a temperature of 135 F to 41 F.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The maybe-2028 presidential hopeful went on to boast that other states like New York are looking to copy a law California passed last year that regulates large language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
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Mouth Inflammation The cells in your body need B12 to copy their DNA correctly.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Huxley might easily have written a simpler novel glorifying intellectuals while mocking Stoyte’s greed and indifference to suffering.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
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The reflections and depth of artistry were mocked.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Back to my Taylor Sheirdan example, none of those wannabe Yellowstone shows have been as good, because his unique voice can’t be replicated.—
Derek Lawrence,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
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That decision — to rebuild rather than replicate — is the real story of what separates the companies pulling ahead with AI from the ones that aren’t.—
Dennis Woodside,
Fortune,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Opt for the signature Polynesian massage, which mimics soothing wave-like movements from head to toe.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
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The hotel’s L’Oasis pool garden — hidden slightly farther inside the property away from the frenzy of the Croisette — mimics the show’s poolside power plays.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The advantage that Republicans might hope to obtain by this November, could, hypothetically, grow even more if the Democrats did nothing before 2028.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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Isn’t that what a team captain would do?—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitate. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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