1
as in to imitate
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior a school intruder was caught trying to impersonate a teacher

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to portray
to present a portrayal or performance of interpreters at the living history museum impersonate figures who are known to have actually lived in the colonial town

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example 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 impersonate The con artists on the other line of that phone call or text often impersonate the local police as well as federal, state and local government agencies. Susan Tompor, USA Today, 15 May 2025 This ends up leaving her vulnerable, of course, but even so, Erivo chose a fragrance for the real Felicity before another sister begins impersonating her. Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 9 May 2025 Armed with doctored invoices, the fraudsters impersonate the staff of legitimate companies in order to divert cargo into the hands of criminals. Courtney Reagan,scott Zamost, CNBC, 9 May 2025 Without a clear framework, machine identities can be hijacked, impersonated, or manipulated at scale, allowing attackers to bypass traditional security systems unnoticed. Sol Rashidi, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impersonate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impersonate
Verb
  • Walton imitated the big-box retail store and located them in small towns.
    Dileep Rao, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • At Cruise’s behest, McQuarrie’s stunts imitate the most primitive filmmaking — not the awe-inspiring magic of Georges Méliès but the Lumière brothers’ rudimentary documentation of action.
    Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories Tony Martinez as Pepino Garcia Tony Martinez portrayed Pepino, the McCoys’ farmhand who often served as comic relief.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 31 May 2025
  • According to Salvador, Maje portrayed herself as a victim of psychological and physical abuse.
    Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • A week later, Rogan mocked Hawass and weighed in again on skeptical theories over who built the pyramids.
    Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
  • Gervais also mocked himself during his acceptance speech.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • Baty plays second base on days when Vientos starts at the hot corner, and Vientos gets DH days to get Baty at third.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
  • Both Earps and Hampton have played a very similar number of minutes and faced a very similar number of shots, but Earps’ shot-stopping has not been as strong, conceding 1.6 goals more than expected, based on the quality of shots faced.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Tate McRae, Ed Sheeran and Mariah Carey are among the artists slated to perform at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival, iHeartMedia announced Tuesday morning.
    Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2025
  • Jelly Roll, Tate McRae, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5 and Ed Sheeran are among the artists set to perform at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Festival.
    Paul Grein, Billboard, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Visitors are greeted with a diorama depicting children and dinosaurs interacting peacefully in the Garden of Eden.
    Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
  • Banners depicting hometown heroes adorn the streets of Westminster in time for Memorial Day, honoring those who served in the U.S. military, including some who gave their lives.
    Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • Collins explains why they haven’t been given their due and their contributions have been interpreted as opposition to the current state of the workplace.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, social media commenters are interpreting the shift as a sign of the times.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • Those looking to secure a board now can do so for early bird rates.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 23 May 2025
  • If sinister twists or Roy-style bad dads do it for you, hang on past the hour mark.
    Judy Berman, Time, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impersonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impersonate. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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