Meaning & use

mimic comically

verb·Advanced

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UK/ˈmɪmɪk ˈkɒmɪkli/
US/ˈmɪmɪk ˈkɑːmɪkli/

Meanings

  1. verbtransitive

    to copy the way someone speaks or moves in a way that makes people laugh

    Grammar: Takes an object: mimic someone. The adverb 'comically' can come before the verb or after the object.

    Patterns

    • mimic someone comically
    • comically mimic someone
    • mimic something comically

    At parties he loves to mimic comically the way his boss gives orders.

    She mimicked comically the teacher's slow, serious voice.

    The actor can mimic comically almost any famous politician.

  2. verbtransitive

    to imitate an animal or thing in a funny, exaggerated way for entertainment

    Grammar: Still transitive; the object is the thing being copied, not the audience.

    Patterns

    • mimic an animal comically
    • comically mimic a sound

    The children mimicked comically the ducks in the park.

    He can mimic comically the sound of a broken car engine.

Word forms

third person singularmimics comically
past tensemimicked comically
past participlemimicked comically
-ing formmimicking comically

Common combinations

mimic comically the way someone talks
He can mimic comically the way his uncle talks after a long day.
comically mimic a famous person
The comedian comically mimicked a famous singer on stage.
mimic comically for an audience
She mimicked comically for the audience and got a big laugh.

Synonyms and how they differ

impersonate
Impersonate is more formal and often means copying someone to deceive people; mimic comically is only for fun.
imitate
Imitate is neutral and can be serious or admiring; mimic comically always suggests laughter.
parody
Parody means making a whole funny version of a style or work, while mimic comically focuses on copying a person's voice or movements.

Word family

mimic verb
to copy someone or something, often to entertain
mimicry noun
the act of copying someone's voice or behavior
comically adverb
in a funny or amusing way
comic adjective
funny or intended to make people laugh

Commonly confused: mimic comically or mock?

mimic comically vs mock

Mock can mean to copy someone in order to make fun of them cruelly; mimic comically is usually friendly and meant to amuse, not to hurt.

Practice

The talented comedian can ______ his grandfather's accent and make everyone laugh.

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