as in to play
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
likes to personate the man of the world, but he's still the small-town hick that he always was
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of personate
Till’s motifs swept though the ensemble, as horns, clarinets, bassoons, violin all had a chance to personate the character.
—
By Libby Hanssen, kansascity.com, 3 June 2017
By Libby Hanssen, kansascity.com, 3 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for personate
Verb
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Still, that isn’t a factor when considering how hard and inspired the Broncos played in front of a ninth straight sellout crowd at Albertsons Stadium.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Sep. 2025
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Though his interests were that of a pretty typical child — computing and gaming, playing the saxophone, enjoying soccer and time with his pets — he was also known for his acts of kindness and generosity.—
Lauren Costantino
September 6,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The bots would impersonate beneficiaries, using dates of birth and other information that can be found on the internet, to try to change the beneficiaries’ bank-routing information and steal their benefits.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
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So don't go off topic, don't impersonate anyone, and don't get your facts wrong.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Perhaps, but no machine can imitate my imagination or the memories that pour through me, or feel the fear of extinguishment.—
Adam Verner
September 3,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
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Sometimes art imitates life by skipping a generation.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lopez noted and mocked Johnson’s comments, sarcastically asking why the mayor didn’t blame it on other historic phenomena.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
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For Gen Z, shaped by a hyper-online upbringing where missteps are often amplified and mocked, being obviously earnest can feel risky.—
Ruth Oh Reitmeier,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Folklore portrays them as menacing figures lurking in the darkness who can possess those who wander too far from home.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
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Chastain portrayed Celia Foote in the drama based on Kathryn Stockett's novel of the same name about a white journalist chronicling the lives of Black maids working for white households in 1960s Mississippi.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Prioritize safety, stay informed, and act responsibly to protect lives and property.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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The Madison stars Michelle Pfeiffer, who previously acted alongside Russell in 1988's Tequila Sunrise.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Personate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/personate. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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