im·i·ta·tion
ˌi-mə-ˈtā-shən 
1
: an act or instance of imitating
2
: something produced as a copy : counterfeit
3
: a literary work designed to reproduce the style of another author
4
: the repetition by one voice of a melody, phrase, or motive stated earlier in the composition by a different voice
5
: the quality of an object in possessing some of the nature or attributes of a transcendent idea
6
: the assumption of behavior observed in other individuals
: resembling something else that is usually genuine and of better quality : not real
imitation leather
Examples of imitation in a Sentence
Noun
Children learn by imitation of adults.
The restaurant was designed in imitation of a Japanese temple.
He did a hilarious imitation of his father.
The real diamonds are in a museum. These are just imitations.
Adjective
the stage production uses only imitation diamonds, as real gems would be prohibitively expensive
Recent Examples on the Web
Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2025
By contrast, Doom: The Dark Ages flings the player back into the dark ages to witness a war between two factions that look like a low-rent knock-off imitation of series like Warhammer — grotesqueries and all.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
His response emphasizes theater’s strength: emotional authenticity over literal imitation.
—Court Stroud, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Of course, most artists, especially at the start of their careers, learn by imitation, and many human artworks are effectively collages, rewrites or remixes.
—Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitation
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Noun
Building artificial skin with room to grow The researchers initially sought to create a skin imitation that could accurately mimic the three layers in human skin: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2025
By contrast, Doom: The Dark Ages flings the player back into the dark ages to witness a war between two factions that look like a low-rent knock-off imitation of series like Warhammer — grotesqueries and all.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
His response emphasizes theater’s strength: emotional authenticity over literal imitation.
—Court Stroud, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Of course, most artists, especially at the start of their careers, learn by imitation, and many human artworks are effectively collages, rewrites or remixes.
—Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imitation
Cite this Entry
“Imitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imitation. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
imitation
1 of 2 noun
im·i·ta·tion
ˌim-ə-ˈtā-shən
1
: an act of imitating
2
: something produced as a copy
imitation
2 of 2 adjective
: resembling something else especially of better quality
imitation pearls
imitation leather
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