WordLens

imitate

1 of 1verb
/ˈɪ.mə.ˌteɪt/
Forms:imitates,imitating,imitated,imitated
1

to copy someone's behavior or appearance accurately

transitive
  • Children often imitate their parents' mannerisms and speech patterns.
  • She can imitate various accents with remarkable accuracy.
  • The actor practiced for hours to imitate the character's gestures perfectly.
  • He imitated his favorite singer's style during the talent show.
  • The actor imitated the character's gestures perfectly during the performance.
2

to look or act in a way that is similar to something or someone else

transitive
  • The cake's frosting was designed to imitate marble with its swirling gray patterns.
  • The robot is programmed to imitate human gestures and expressions.
  • The synthetic fabric closely imitates the texture of natural silk.
  • The actor's performance was so convincing it seemed to imitate real life.
  • This brand of plant-based meat imitates the taste and appearance of beef.
3

to copy or mimic the style, technique, or subject matter of another artist or artwork

transitive
  • The student imitated the brushstrokes of Van Gogh to learn his painting technique.
  • His latest piece imitates the bold colors and geometric patterns of Cubism.
  • The filmmaker deliberately imitated classic noir cinematography in his latest movie.
  • She imitated the soft pastels of Monet’s landscapes in her painting.
  • They created a tribute piece by imitating the surreal imagery of Salvador Dalí.