Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense imitates, present participle imitating, past tense, past participle imitated
1. verb
If you imitate someone, you copy what they do or produce.
...a genuine German musical which does not try to imitate the American model. [VERB noun]
...a precedent which may be imitated by other activists in the future. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: copy, follow, repeat, echo More Synonyms of imitate
2. verb
If you imitate a person or animal, you copy the way they speak or behave, usually because you are trying to be funny.
Clarence screws up his face and imitates the Colonel again. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: do an impression of, take off [informal], mimic, do [informal] More Synonyms of imitate
imitate in British English
(ˈɪmɪˌteɪt)
verb(transitive)
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
imitable (ˈimitable)
adjective
imitability (ˌimitaˈbility) or imitableness (ˈimitableness)
noun
imitator (ˈimiˌtator)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin imitārī; see image
imitate in American English
(ˈɪmɪˌteɪt)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈimiˌtated or ˈimiˌtating
1.
to seek to follow the example of; take as one's model or pattern
2.
to act the same as; impersonate; mimic
3.
to reproduce in form, color, etc.; make a duplicate or copy of
4.
to be or become like in appearance; resemble
glass made to imitate diamonds
SYNONYMY NOTE: imitate implies the following of something as an example or model but does not necessarilyconnote exact correspondence with the original [the child imitates the father's mannerisms]; copy implies as nearly exact imitation or reproduction as is possible [to copy a painting]; mimic suggests close imitation, often in fun or ridicule [to mimic the speech peculiarities of another]; mock implies imitation with the intent to deride or affront [“I can't”, she echoed mockingly]; ape implies close imitation either in mimicry or in servile emulation [she aped the fashions of the court ladies]
Derived forms
imitable (ˈimitable) (ˈɪmɪtəbəl)
adjective
imitator (ˈimiˌtator)
noun
Word origin
< L imitatus, pp. of imitari, to imitate, akin to aemulus: see emulate
Examples of 'imitate' in a sentence
imitate
Any attempt to imitate the stance of a stork was destined for trouble.
Secombe, Fred GOODBYE CURATE (2001)
Except when Ricky and the large woman drop in behind them and imitate them until Ricky gets fed up with not being noticed.
Ian St James Awards AT THE STROKE OF TWELVE (2001)
It would not have done to encourage her, but it was amusing to hear her imitate her hero's speech patterns and accent.
Elizabeth Peters LORD OF THE SILENT (2001)
In other languages
imitate
British English: imitate /ˈɪmɪˌteɪt/ VERB
If you imitate someone, you copy what they do or produce.
The bird imitated the ring tone of his mobile phone.
American English: imitate
Arabic: يُقَلِّدُ
Brazilian Portuguese: imitar
Chinese: 模仿
Croatian: imitirati
Czech: napodobit
Danish: efterligne
Dutch: imiteren
European Spanish: imitar copiar
Finnish: matkia
French: imiter
German: imitieren
Greek: μιμούμαι
Italian: imitare
Japanese: 模倣する
Korean: 모방하다
Norwegian: imitere
Polish: imitować
European Portuguese: imitar
Romanian: a imita
Russian: подражать
Latin American Spanish: imitar
Swedish: imitera
Thai: เลียนแบบ
Turkish: taklit etmek
Ukrainian: імітувати
Vietnamese: bắt chước
Chinese translation of 'imitate'
imitate
(ˈɪmɪteɪt)
vt
(= copy) 效仿 (xiàofǎng)
(= mimic)[person, sound, gesture]模仿 (mófǎng)
1 (verb)
Definition
to copy the manner or style of, or take as a model
a precedent which may be imitated by other activists
Synonyms
copy
We all tend to copy people we admire.
coquettish gestures which she had copied from actresses in soap operas
follow
I hope other women will follow my example.
repeat
I repeated the story to a delighted audience.
echo
Many phrases in the last chapter echo earlier passages.
emulate
I never tried to emulate my father.
ape
These films merely ape Hollywood.
simulate
They rolled about, simulating a bloodthirsty fight.
mirror
His own shock was mirrored in her face.
follow suit
duplicate
Scientists hope the work done can be duplicated elswhere.
counterfeit
He financed a plot to counterfeit gold coins.
follow in the footsteps of
take a leaf out of (someone's) book
2 (verb)
Definition
to mimic or impersonate, esp. for amusement
He screwed up his face and imitated the Colonel.
Synonyms
do an impression of
take off (informal)
mimic
She could mimic anybody, reducing her friends to helpless laughter.
do (informal)
affect
He listened to them, affecting an amused interest.
copy
mock
parody
It was easy to parody his rather pompous manner of speaking.
caricature
Her political career has been caricatured in the newspapers.
send up (British, informal)
spoof (informal)
impersonate
He was a brilliant mimic who could impersonate most of the staff.
burlesque
personate
Additional synonyms
in the sense of affect
Definition
to put on a show of
He listened to them, affecting an amused interest.