inimitable

Meaning

1. 1adjectivecomparableapproving

   So personal and special that nobody else could copy it successfully.

   Grammar: Often before a noun: her inimitable style; it can follow be too.

   Patterns

   • in his inimitable style
   • inimitable talent

   The comedian told the story in his own inimitable way.

   Her inimitable laugh filled the whole hallway.

   Nobody could match the inimitable flavor of my grandmother's stew.

Common combinations

inimitable style

The singer has an inimitable style that fans recognize at once.

in her inimitable way

She solved the problem in her inimitable way.

inimitable voice

His inimitable voice made the song a classic.

inimitable charm

The old hotel has an inimitable charm.

Synonyms and how they differ

unique

Unique means one of a kind, but inimitable says specifically that it cannot be copied.

matchless

Matchless suggests nothing equals it in quality, whereas inimitable stresses the impossibility of copying.

distinctive

Distinctive is weaker, meaning easy to recognize rather than impossible to copy.

incomparable

Incomparable stresses being beyond comparison, while inimitable stresses being impossible to copy.

Opposites

Word family

inimitably adverb

in a way no one can copy

imitate verb

to copy

imitation noun

a copy

imitable adjective

able to be copied, a rare word

Commonly confused: inimitable or inimical?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “inimitable”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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