Meaning & use
imitate
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To copy the way someone acts, speaks or looks.
Grammar: Takes an object: imitate a teacher.
Patterns
- imitate someone
- imitate something
Small children imitate the adults around them.
He can imitate his boss's voice perfectly.
She tried to imitate the dancer's graceful moves.
verbtransitive
To copy someone's style or work as a model, often in art or writing.
Grammar: Used for artists and writers: imitate a style.
Patterns
- imitate a style
- imitate the work of someone
Young painters often imitate the masters.
The poet imitated the rhythm of old songs.
Many bands imitate the sound of that group.
verbtransitive
To look or work like something else, so that it appears to be the real thing.
Grammar: Used for materials and products: imitate leather.
Patterns
- imitate something
The fabric imitates real leather.
The software imitates a real keyboard.
A parrot can imitate human speech.
Word forms
| third person singular | imitates |
|---|---|
| past tense | imitated |
| past participle | imitated |
| -ing form | imitating |
Common combinations
- imitate a voice
- He can imitate the voice of any teacher.
- imitate a style
- She tried to imitate the style of her hero.
- imitate nature
- Many inventions imitate nature.
- imitate perfectly
- The bird imitated the ringtone perfectly.
- imitate adults
- Toddlers imitate adults when they play.
Synonyms and how they differ
- copy
- Copy is a plain, general word, while imitate often suggests copying a way of acting.
- mimic
- Mimic often means copying closely, usually in fun or mocking.
- mirror
- Mirror suggests showing the same behavior or feeling back to someone.
- emulate
- Emulate means copying to match or equal someone you admire.
Opposites
Word family
- imitation noun
- a copy, or the act of copying
- imitator noun
- a person who copies others
- imitative adjective
- copying others, not original
- inimitable adjective
- so special that it cannot be copied
Commonly confused: imitate or emulate? imitate or imitation?
imitate vs emulate
Emulate means trying to equal someone you admire; imitate just means copying.
imitate vs imitation
An imitation is a copy, often of a cheaper material.
Practice
The parrot could ___ its owner's laugh.
Choose one answer.
Imitate means to copy a sound or action. The other verbs do not mean copying.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “imitate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.