From flagrant exhibition of stealing both thought and language, plagiarism shades off into less serious things such as unconscious borrowing, borrowing of minor elements, and mere imitation.

Had these fripperies been mere imitation of tradition the effect would have been fatally bogus.

He realized that this would result in a mere imitation and set his piece in high school to keep things fresh.

They seem mere imitations, appealing to an existing market.

Neither mere imitations of past styles nor industrial products not inspired by an artistic sense will be accepted.