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copy

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verb

1
as in to reproduce
to make an exact likeness of for the movie, set designers copied the Oval Office in the White House down to the smallest detail

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to imitate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior she shamelessly copies her idol's hairstyle and fashion choices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun copy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of copy are duplicate, facsimile, replica, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When might duplicate be a better fit than copy?

While the synonyms duplicate and copy are close in meaning, duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When would facsimile be a good substitute for copy?

The words facsimile and copy can be used in similar contexts, but facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

Where would replica be a reasonable alternative to copy?

Although the words replica and copy have much in common, replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details, but not always in the same scale.

a replica of the Mayflower
miniature replicas of classic cars

In what contexts can reproduction take the place of copy?

The words reproduction and copy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of copy
Noun
Details: The cease-fire would start with a six-week phase involving the release of 33 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, as well as the entry into Gaza each day of 600 trucks carrying humanitarian relief, according to a copy of the agreement. Natasha Frost, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025 Her books have been sold in almost 20 countries with more than 1 million copies sold to date. Justin Kroll, Deadline, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
What sets Fay apart, too, is the harmonious amalgamation of characteristically Italian design with the sensibility of New England—and its earnest commitment not to appropriating or copying a certain aesthetic, but to embracing it authentically and blending it perfectly with Fay’s own design values. Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2025 Wix will then generate images, copy and a color palette to match the essence of your business. Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 27 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for copy 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copy
Noun
  • In the wild, cats faced the challenge of limited prey, which favored only the most skilled hunters for survival and reproduction.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Here, a reproduction of the article that ran in Women’s Wear Daily on July 20, 1956, including Dior’s thoughts on the WWD’s support of him and its succinct coverage of all things informing the fashion industry 365 days of the year.
    WWD Staff, WWD, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
    Liz McNeil, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025
  • The trick is to reproduce that resilience by bundling and gluing individual slats.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Paul Barrett: Zuckerberg Is Appeasing Trump Zuckerberg is imitating Musk to curry favor with Trump.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
  • However, just months after their characters shared their first kiss in 2019's in Spider-Man: Far from Home, life imitated art for the pair.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The elaborate queue for the ride is set in a bank vault but the real highlight is right outside where there's a mini replica of Fremont Street in Sin City.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • The highly accurate set comes with a replica of the stylish three-story house, every floor brimming with rooms and accessories inspired by key scenes from across the franchise, including Edward’s bedroom and the grand piano in the living room.
    Gil Macias, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The numbers suggest Lamar Jackson should repeat as MVP, but the challenge has been replicating his regular-season play in the postseason.
    Jack Magruder, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
  • So that’s what Jan does, replicating himself with carefree abandon.
    Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • What To Watch For Large tech companies, like Meta and Microsoft, often serve as industry bellwethers, setting workforce and strategic trends that smaller companies and startups subsequently emulate.
    Jack Kelly, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Zaslav loves to emulate Disney corporate structures (i.e., Marvel has its Kevin Feige, DC has Gunn and Peter Safran) and that studio has one global distribution head (most recently Tony Chambers, who’s segueing to be the president of EMEA with a successor to be named).
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Visual Medium Has a Message How does the medium in which an image is rendered, its materiality, shape our perception of the subject matter?
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Some have suggested a reduction of as much as 95% in nicotine from what's currently found on the market, essentially rendering them nonaddictive.
    Tina Reed, Axios, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Ephron’s comment was based on the opinion that marketers were helping to create ad avoidance with strategies that inundated persons with repeating the same ads over and over again.
    Brad Adgate, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Trump, who had fought to keep the report secret, criticized the findings on Truth Social and repeated false claims about the House committee that investigated Jan. 6. — CNBC’s Hakyung Kim, Annika Kim Constantino, Salvador Rodriguez, Gabrielle Fonrouge and NBC News contributed to this report.
    Michele Luhn, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near copy

Cite this Entry

“Copy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copy. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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