imitator

Definition of imitatornext
1
as in follower
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way an Elvis imitator in a sequinned jumpsuit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in performer
a person who imitates another's voice and mannerisms for comic effect that comedian is a hilarious imitator of a surprising array of current celebrities

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 imitator And these are now increasingly fragile as a result of global unrest, climate change and a host of imitators. Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 19 May 2026 The dish everyone comes for is the spicy rigatoni vodka, a plate that’s launched a thousand imitators across the country. Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 May 2026 By early 1985, IBM—the computing giant that dominated corporate America—and its imitators had captured nearly half the personal computer market, up from about a third just months earlier. Geoffrey Cain, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026 Well, actually the worst thing would be to have a — a really good imitator of any president that came along. Alex Crippen, CNBC, 9 May 2026 Baseball is a copycat league, and success breeds imitators. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026 In Karp’s telling, Basquiat is someone who Just Did Things, like today’s defense tech founders, who possess a similar kind of creative conviction, as opposed to the consumer tech imitators of yesteryear. Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026 This cheesecake imitator is delicious topped with fresh strawberries, but other fruits can be substituted, such as pineapple or peaches. Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026 This is the first Hitchcock film that fully crystallizes his distinct sense of dark humor, which is one of the key elements that sets his thrillers apart from those of his contemporaries and imitators. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitator
Noun
  • Online, this generally meant that creators encouraged their followers to pair a healthy habit with a fun or existing one (scrolling while walking on the treadmill, for example) or to just link two good behaviors together (folding laundry between breaks of your at-home workout).
    Julia Landwehr, Health, 18 May 2026
  • With more than four million followers and billions of views across platforms, Garg has built a global fanbase through her sharp, deeply relatable observations on family, culture, and modern life.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • Coherent was a top performer in the S & P 500, rising 6%.
    Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 13 May 2026
  • The Colombian superstar will receive the International Artist Award of Excellence and take the stage as a performer at the 52nd American Music Awards later this month, CBS and Dick Clark Productions announced on Wednesday.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • The incident — with a few uncomfortable echoes of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — has sparked concerns and questions.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
  • Viewers can expect this tale of neocolonialism with echoes of #MeToo to leave a sour taste in their mouths.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Every scene is shot on location, the soundtrack is wall-to-wall bangers, and the cast is perfect with a few key roles filled by actors in their bygone prime and maybe one or two from beyond the grave.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
  • The Criminal Division will not allow foreign actors to exploit the American financial system and use it as a safe haven for the proceeds of their corruption.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • Upstairs, impressionists, writers, socialites, and painters who moved in Proust’s orbit, from Sarah Bernhardt to Emile Zola and Claude Monet, lent their names to a room or suite.
    Lindsey Tramuta, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The awards show is set for March 31, with stand-up comedian, actor and impressionist Matt Friend as host.
    Paul Grein, Billboard, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The celebration features food and music, a bocce tournament, an Elvis Presley impersonator, pizza acrobatics and more.
    Finch Walker, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • Police impersonator in Harford County This incident comes nearly a week after a man was arrested in Harford County for impersonating an officer in a shopping center.
    JT Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • The Crunchyroll Anime Awards will take place on May 23, hosted by entertainer Jon Kabira and voice actress Sally Amaki.
    Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 14 May 2026
  • And that is not even touching on all the unsettling racial humor that came with having Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchliffe — two comedians who have actually faced backlash for hate speech — on the dais for the roast of a Black entertainer.
    Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • The sounds green noise mimics do have some research behind them, though.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Her jokester father worked for a railway; her realtor mother was a gifted mimic whose impressions of clients enlivened family dinners.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 10 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitator. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on imitator

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster