1
as in mocking
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
a school intruder was caught trying to impersonate a teacher
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in playing
to present a portrayal or performance of
interpreters at the living history museum impersonate figures who are known to have actually lived in the colonial town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impersonating
Jason Hobby was arrested by the Larimer County Sheriff's Office following the July 29, 2024 fire and charged with first-degree arson, along with several other offenses including impersonating a peace officer, menacing and false imprisonment.
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Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
Determined to be seen as extraordinary, Elizabeth begins copying, stalking and impersonating Laura to try and win a Harvard spot for herself.
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Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer and fatally shooting the state’s former House speaker in what authorities have described as a politically motivated assassination, pleaded guilty Thursday.
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Chloe Atkins,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Boelter also faces state charges of impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty.
—
Tim Sullivan,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Willard has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and impersonating a police officer, according to online court records, which do not show plea or attorney information.
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Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Two of their supporters were so desperate to be at the game away to Crystal Palace yesterday that they were arrested on suspicion of impersonating stewards (nice try).
—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Clinton Wayne Nelan, 33, of Elkins, who was arrested Sunday, is charged with misuse of a local emergency telephone system and impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
That scheme involved operatives impersonating recruiters and executive search consultants on LinkedIn and Telegram and then sending unwitting job-seeking targets standard technical coding tests laced with malware.
—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
Determined to be seen as extraordinary, Elizabeth begins copying, stalking and impersonating Laura to try and win a Harvard spot for herself.
—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer and fatally shooting the state’s former House speaker in what authorities have described as a politically motivated assassination, pleaded guilty Thursday.
—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Boelter also faces state charges of impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty.
—
Tim Sullivan,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Willard has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and impersonating a police officer, according to online court records, which do not show plea or attorney information.
—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Two of their supporters were so desperate to be at the game away to Crystal Palace yesterday that they were arrested on suspicion of impersonating stewards (nice try).
—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Clinton Wayne Nelan, 33, of Elkins, who was arrested Sunday, is charged with misuse of a local emergency telephone system and impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
That scheme involved operatives impersonating recruiters and executive search consultants on LinkedIn and Telegram and then sending unwitting job-seeking targets standard technical coding tests laced with malware.
—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impersonating
Verb
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The entertainer gained notoriety on social media in the late 2010s for his sketches mocking everyday scenarios.
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Within a couple of hours, Wilkins’ replies to the post were flooded with accusations of favoritism, questioning the use of taxpayer funds to book her and mocking her sincerity about being chosen as a performer following high-profile exits from the event.
Verb
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Win prizes playing interactive games, network with artists and entrepreneurs and enjoy signature drinks and bar snacks available for purchase.
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Men leaders can pay attention to and be mindful of who in the workplace may be playing more of an emotional support role that falls outside their job description.
Verb
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Some of the most notable moments show Atlas imitating human emotional reactions.
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To celebrate, Gazza lay down on the grass and opened his mouth wide, imitating the dentist’s chair that had got him and his team-mates into so much bother a few weeks earlier.
Verb
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And another person portraying General Washington was on hand to work the crowd.
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In portraying the fraught relationship between a young lesbian and her conservative mother, animation becomes both a barrier and a bridge, shielding lived trauma while reaching toward reconciliation and love.
Verb
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It is stored in an inactive form in cells such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and immune system—acting as the body’s reserve bank, indicating how much iron is available for future use.
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National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, the brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, said on Sunday that more than 12,000 people have been displaced by the earthquakes and 774 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including hospitals.
Verb
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When a company is performing well, investors assume success will continue.
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Rolling Stone and Page Six report that Nicks is performing at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding next week, on July 3, at Madison Square Garden.
Verb
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More in Culture Photo Album Take a look at these photos of the week, depicting medieval armored combat in France, an early harvest in Romania, and more.
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There’s the lively battle scene depicting the nobleman Charles Stanhope defending Jamaica (which had been made a British territory in 1655 and remained one until 1962) from France, the United States’ ally in the Revolutionary War.
Verb
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The authors recommended that the US government and its commercial and international partners establish benchmarks for interpreting hostile behavior in space.
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Those two truths are core to our mission of researching, collecting, preserving, and interpreting Black art, history, and culture.
Cite this Entry
“Impersonating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impersonating. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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