1
as in mocking
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
a school intruder was caught trying to impersonate a teacher
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in playing
to present a portrayal or performance of
interpreters at the living history museum impersonate figures who are known to have actually lived in the colonial town
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 impersonating
The Idaho Attorney General’s Office is warning that scammers are impersonating city planning officials in Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell, using public permit information to create realistic fake invoices.
—
Chadd Cripe. Produced With Ai Assistance,
Idaho Statesman,
2 July 2026
Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
—
Candace Buckner,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
Jason Hobby was arrested by the Larimer County Sheriff's Office following the July 29, 2024 fire and charged with first-degree arson, along with several other offenses including impersonating a peace officer, menacing and false imprisonment.
—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
Determined to be seen as extraordinary, Elizabeth begins copying, stalking and impersonating Laura to try and win a Harvard spot for herself.
—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer and fatally shooting the state’s former House speaker in what authorities have described as a politically motivated assassination, pleaded guilty Thursday.
—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Boelter also faces state charges of impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty.
—
Tim Sullivan,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Willard has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and impersonating a police officer, according to online court records, which do not show plea or attorney information.
—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Clinton Wayne Nelan, 33, of Elkins, who was arrested Sunday, is charged with misuse of a local emergency telephone system and impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Chadd Cripe. Produced With Ai Assistance,
Idaho Statesman,
2 July 2026
Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
—
Candace Buckner,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
Jason Hobby was arrested by the Larimer County Sheriff's Office following the July 29, 2024 fire and charged with first-degree arson, along with several other offenses including impersonating a peace officer, menacing and false imprisonment.
—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
Determined to be seen as extraordinary, Elizabeth begins copying, stalking and impersonating Laura to try and win a Harvard spot for herself.
—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer and fatally shooting the state’s former House speaker in what authorities have described as a politically motivated assassination, pleaded guilty Thursday.
—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Boelter also faces state charges of impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty.
—
Tim Sullivan,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Willard has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and impersonating a police officer, according to online court records, which do not show plea or attorney information.
—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Clinton Wayne Nelan, 33, of Elkins, who was arrested Sunday, is charged with misuse of a local emergency telephone system and impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impersonating
Verb
-
Second lady Usha Vance mocking The New York Times for reading political significance into her Old Navy maternity dress and the New York Knicks celebrating their NBA title were featured in last week's News Quiz.
-
This patriotic anthem of the American Revolution originated as a favorite tune of British soldiers, who enjoyed its lyrics mocking American colonists.
Verb
-
Win prizes playing interactive games, network with artists and entrepreneurs and enjoy signature drinks and bar snacks available for purchase.
-
Men leaders can pay attention to and be mindful of who in the workplace may be playing more of an emotional support role that falls outside their job description.
Verb
-
Some of the most notable moments show Atlas imitating human emotional reactions.
-
To celebrate, Gazza lay down on the grass and opened his mouth wide, imitating the dentist’s chair that had got him and his team-mates into so much bother a few weeks earlier.
Verb
-
Rather than acknowledging the reckless play that earned her suspension, Thomas immediately shifted the focus to herself, portraying her punishment, rather than the hit on Clark, as the real injustice.
-
Jaafar spoke about portraying the King of Pop, who’s also his uncle, in the film.
Verb
-
It is stored in an inactive form in cells such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and immune system—acting as the body’s reserve bank, indicating how much iron is available for future use.
-
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, the brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, said on Sunday that more than 12,000 people have been displaced by the earthquakes and 774 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including hospitals.
Verb
-
But performing fealty to that naïve and impoverished picture of judging had become nearly de rigueur for both liberals and conservatives.
-
Isolation in many American settlements required a self-reliant approach to performing music.
Verb
-
The biggest of these controversies erupted in April after the president shared a post depicting himself as Jesus Christ, amid his feud with Pope Leo XIV.
-
The masks are often vibrant and colorful but sometimes intimidating, depicting superheroes, animals or other symbolic figures.
Verb
-
The authors recommended that the US government and its commercial and international partners establish benchmarks for interpreting hostile behavior in space.
-
Those two truths are core to our mission of researching, collecting, preserving, and interpreting Black art, history, and culture.
Cite this Entry
“Impersonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impersonating. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
