imitate

[ im-i-teyt ]

verb (used with object)

, im·i·tat·ed, im·i·tat·ing.

1. to follow or endeavor to follow as a model or example:

   to imitate an author's style; to imitate an older brother.

2. to mimic; impersonate:

   The students imitated the teacher behind her back.

   Synonyms: mock, ape

3. to make a copy of; reproduce closely.
4. to have or assume the appearance of; simulate; resemble.

imitate

/ ˈɪmɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. to try to follow the manner, style, character, etc, of or take as a model

   many writers imitated the language of Shakespeare

2. to pretend to be or to impersonate, esp for humour; mimic
3. to make a copy or reproduction of; duplicate; counterfeit
4. to make or be like; resemble or simulate

   her achievements in politics imitated her earlier successes in business

Derived Forms

• ˌimitaˈbility, noun
• ˈimiˌtator, noun
• ˈimitable, adjective

Other Words From

• imi·tator noun
• non·imi·tating adjective
• over·imi·tate verb (used with object) overimitated overimitating
• pre·imi·tate verb (used with object) preimitated preimitating
• un·imi·tated adjective
• un·imi·tating adjective
• well-imi·tated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of imitate¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin imitātus, past participle of imitārī “to copy,” presumably a frequentative akin to the base of imāgō image

Word History and Origins

Origin of imitate¹

C16: from Latin imitārī; see image

Synonym Study

Imitate, copy, duplicate, reproduce all mean to follow or try to follow an example or pattern. Imitate is the general word for the idea: to imitate someone's handwriting, behavior. To copy is to make a fairly exact imitation of an original creation: to copy a sentence, a dress, a picture. To duplicate is to produce something that exactly resembles or corresponds to something else; both may be originals: to duplicate the terms of two contracts. To reproduce is to make a likeness or reconstruction of an original: to reproduce a 16th-century theater.

Example Sentences

Esposito considers “Megalopolis” to be about “art imitating life and history repeating itself.”

From Los Angeles Times

For Spencer, such things were not unusual occurrences of life imitating art.

From BBC

I was trying to imitate them, but I guess more of me came out than should have.

From Los Angeles Times

And when you talk about art imitating life, we touch on a lot of the things that are happening socially.

From Salon

Throughout the night, young men dressed as Trump rattled off impressions of the former president, promising to put immigrants in camps and decrying impeachment while imitating the former president’s signature raspy tone.

From Salon

Related Words

• act like
• ape
• assume
• duplicate
• echo
• emulate
• impersonate
• mimic
• mirror
• mock
• pretend
• replicate
• reproduce
• resemble
• simulate