MIMIC Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'mimic' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mimic are ape , copy , imitate , and mock . While all these words mean "to make something so that it resembles an existing thing," mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation. // pupils mimicking their teacher

Q: Where would 'ape' be a reasonable alternative to 'mimic'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mimic , ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original. // American fashion designers aped their European colleagues

Q: When would 'copy' be a good substitute for 'mimic'?

The words copy and mimic can be used in similar contexts, but copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible. // copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

Q: When could 'imitate' be used to replace 'mimic'?

The meanings of imitate and mimic largely overlap; however, imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation. // imitate a poet's style

Q: In what contexts can 'mock' take the place of 'mimic'?

In some situations, the words mock and mimic are roughly equivalent. However, mock usually implies imitation with derision. // mocking a vain man's pompous manner

mimic 1 of 3

verb

Definition of mimic

as in to imitate

to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of the comedian was famous for mimicking the President's distinctive lisp

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to emulate

to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior began to learn their language by mimicking the sounds they made

Synonyms & Similar Words

mimic

2 of 3

adjective

as in simulated

being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials police were concerned that the mimic gun, although intended only as a toy, might be confused with the real thing in certain situations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in imitative

using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model a mimic battle fought by kids playing around in the schoolyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mimic

3 of 3

noun

ˈmi-mik

as in imitator

a person who imitates another's voice and mannerisms for comic effect a gifted mimic who can do a terrific imitation of anyone's voice

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in mime

an actor in a story performed silently and entirely by body movements a mimic in black clothes and white facial makeup

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mimic distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mimic are ape, copy, imitate, and mock. While all these words mean "to make something so that it resembles an existing thing," mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation.

pupils mimicking their teacher

Where would ape be a reasonable alternative to mimic?

While in some cases nearly identical to mimic, ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original.

American fashion designers aped their European colleagues

When would copy be a good substitute for mimic?

The words copy and mimic can be used in similar contexts, but copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible.

copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

When could imitate be used to replace mimic?

The meanings of imitate and mimic largely overlap; however, imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation.

imitate a poet's style

In what contexts can mock take the place of mimic?

In some situations, the words mock and mimic are roughly equivalent. However, mock usually implies imitation with derision.

mocking a vain man's pompous manner

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mimic

Verb

The new edition of the series will film after the 2026 season, and will follow the staff of an entire NFL division, rather than a single team, mimicking a format that NFL Films has been using for its in-season edition of the docuseries. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 The arc could be, for instance, a chance alignment of unrelated stars, the product of gravitational lensing from a background galaxy, or a dusty region that happens to mimic a stream's shape. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Noun

Her jokester father worked for a railway; her realtor mother was a gifted mimic whose impressions of clients enlivened family dinners. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Feb. 2026 Some of the hormone mimics, such as for amylin, might also work alone. — Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 28 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mimic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mimic

Verb

In any event, there’s difficult-to-imitate value in how Planet of the Apes begins as a simple adventure film and winds up touching upon issues of prejudice, social inequality, and nuclear annihilation.

— Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
One year later, Clooney, 65, is back at the Venice Film Festival for a spin in the spotlight on the opening night for a bit of life imitating art.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of imitate

Verb

Emirates’ massive suite, which is perched over the center of Ashe, is being remodeled this year to emulate the spacious lounges and curved bar on its double-decker Airbus 380 planes.

— Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Elf, however, deliberately taps into a cartoonish side of stop-motion by emulating the look of Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials.

— James Grebey, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of emulate

Adjective

Just like their simulated counterparts, the worms consistently moved through the narrower channels faster than the wider ones.

— K. R. Prathyusha, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
After five billion simulated years, the team observed irregularities in nearly every stellar stream, according to a press release.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of simulated

Adjective

Using techniques like input-dependent computation and gating, the liquid AI design gives us substantially greater power to access the human-like cognition, albeit imitative, of the machines.

— John Werner, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Since then, whenever new tools to crank out communications have become available, somebody has flooded the zone with the fastest, most imitative material that could garner attention.

— Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2025

Definition of imitative

Noun

Lyons uses her extraordinary physicality — slipping between a range of accents, mime, and endless amount of gestures to hold together a piece that could easily fall apart.

— Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
The idea is that as an operator mimes picking up a pile of rocks, the arm would generate a force in response, as if the operator could feel the heaviness of the rocks, confirming that the excavator is indeed picking them up.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of mime

Verb

Over two months, the protesters and their supporters – most who appeared to be digitally-savvy GenZ – used Instagram and Snapchat to connect, organize, and share countless reels parodying the government.

— Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
The Onion, meanwhile, has set up its own Infowars webpage on its website, running videos of shows parodying Jones.

— Jim Vertuno, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of parody

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Style

“Mimic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mimic. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of mimic

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noun

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