IMITATES Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

imitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of imitate

as in emulates

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

as in mocks

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

as in reproduces

to make an exact likeness of a second-rate artist who was notorious for imitating the works of other painters

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of imitates But neither painting nor photography imitates nature. —

Literary Hub, 10 June 2026 Like most creative endeavors, art imitates life at Monse. —

Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 29 May 2026 The Yellow Chartreuse with its honeyed complexity imitates the lingering natural sweetness of the agave nectar, and the juicy bittersweet orange from the Aperol takes the role of the Cointreau, all atop a subtle smoky backbone. —

Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 23 May 2026 What makes the campaign especially convincing is that each stage imitates familiar Apple, Google or Microsoft software behavior many Mac users already trust and routinely encounter. —

Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 The pieces are all made from fade- and weather-resistant poly material, which even imitates the look of wood grain for a more stylish finish. —

Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2026 Aristotle said that art imitates nature (ars imitatur naturam), and for centuries, many artists sought to imitate their subjects as realistically as possible. —

Andrey Mir, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 Whether or not life imitates art remains to be seen. —

Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026 Patagonia’s proprietary synthetic fill imitates down’s structure by spinning air-trapping microfilaments around a central fiber and requires fewer stabilizing seams and baffles than down. —

Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitates

Verb

Like many performance EVs attempting to address the absence of combustion-engine noise, Genesis has also developed a bespoke electric Active Sound Design system to create a soundtrack that emulates an ICE vehicle.

— Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
In some places there are specific nods to Orient Express history, like the floral carpet in the showroom, which emulates a wood veneer design from the trains.

— David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2026