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
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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
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Recent Examples of impersonating
El Dorado County Sheriff’s officials are warning residents after a man impersonating a deputy pulled over and assaulted a driver last week on a county road before the driver used bear spray to get away.
—
Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026
According to Amazon, of all the scams impersonating Amazon reported by its customers globally in 2023, over two-thirds of scams claimed to be related to order or account issues.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Two Connecticut men are facing charges in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicaid by impersonating a physician.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Prosecutors said the case marked Gallarzo’s third conviction for impersonating a nurse, following similar cases in Michigan in 2016 and Texas in 2017.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Man attempts to free Mangione On Wednesday, a Minnesota man was arrested for allegedly impersonating an FBI agent and trying to free Mangione.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Garnett’s pivotal rulings came a day after a 35-year-old Minnesota man was charged with impersonating an FBI agent in an apparent attempt to spring Mangione from federal lockup in Brooklyn in a bizarre episode detailed in court documents.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Reverence for all the others in recent—and distant—memory gunned down by the law, or, in one recent murder of the state’s DFL Speaker of the House of Representatives, Melissa Hortman and her husband, gunned down in their pajamas this past summer by someone impersonating the law.
—Ed Bok Lee, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
He is being charged with impersonating an FBI agent.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 29 Jan. 2026
Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026
According to Amazon, of all the scams impersonating Amazon reported by its customers globally in 2023, over two-thirds of scams claimed to be related to order or account issues.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Two Connecticut men are facing charges in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicaid by impersonating a physician.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Prosecutors said the case marked Gallarzo’s third conviction for impersonating a nurse, following similar cases in Michigan in 2016 and Texas in 2017.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Man attempts to free Mangione On Wednesday, a Minnesota man was arrested for allegedly impersonating an FBI agent and trying to free Mangione.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Garnett’s pivotal rulings came a day after a 35-year-old Minnesota man was charged with impersonating an FBI agent in an apparent attempt to spring Mangione from federal lockup in Brooklyn in a bizarre episode detailed in court documents.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Reverence for all the others in recent—and distant—memory gunned down by the law, or, in one recent murder of the state’s DFL Speaker of the House of Representatives, Melissa Hortman and her husband, gunned down in their pajamas this past summer by someone impersonating the law.
—Ed Bok Lee, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
He is being charged with impersonating an FBI agent.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impersonating
Verb
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Late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers, have been mocking the documentary.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
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Link was captured on Ring camera footage mocking and belittling Jimenez after shooting him, prosecutors say.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Baseball owners, with Dick Monfort playing a prominent role as a hawk in labor negotiations, are expected to lock out the players after this season, seeking a salary cap, believing that is the only reason the Dodgers win.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
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Back in 2013, Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez tore a ligament in his thumb while playing for the Dominican Republic.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, previously said in a statement that accounts imitating other people go against their terms of service and are removed when flagged.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
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Broncos fans have rallied around their backup quarterback, with thousands of fans changing their social media avatars to a picture of Stidham’s face, photoshopped with sunglasses and headphones, imitating a LeBron James meme.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Jacobus started his career in finance in the early 1990s, but that quickly spiraled into him falsely portraying himself as a seasoned financial advisor who managed legitimate investment portfolios, authorities said.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
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Hollywood did end up telling that story, with Ben Foster ultimately portraying the actor as a villain in the 2015 movie The Program, which Armstrong was not a part of.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Who is performing in Turning Point USA's The All-American Halftime Show?—
Maria Francis,
Oklahoman,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Bad Bunny will be performing at halftime, but who is singing the national anthem?—
Marina Johnson,
IndyStar,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His release comes amid pressure on Venezuela’s acting government to free hundreds of political prisoners, with lawmakers debating an amnesty bill.—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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Jeff D'Onofrio, chief financial officer of the newspaper owned by Jeff Bezos, will serve as acting publisher and CEO, the Post said, according to Reuters.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The video featured footage depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes.—
Staff Author,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Feb. 2026
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One retiring House Republican told Semafor that Thursday’s Trump post depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes validated the choice to leave Capitol Hill.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Unlike athletes who have a team of specialists interpreting their pain signals, everyday exercisers generally try to override their pain without interpretation.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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Toxicologist Alex LeBeau urged caution when interpreting the results.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impersonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impersonating. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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