emulate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to try to equal or excel; imitate with effort to equal or surpass.
to emulate one's father as a concert violinist.
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to rival with some degree of success.
Some smaller cities now emulate the major capitals in their cultural offerings.
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Computers.
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to imitate (a particular computer system) by using a software system, often including a microprogram or another computer that enables it to do the same work, run the same programs, etc., as the first.
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to replace (software) with hardware to perform the same task.
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adjective
verb
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to attempt to equal or surpass, esp by imitation
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to rival or compete with
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to make one computer behave like (another different type of computer) so that the imitating system can operate on the same data and execute the same programs as the imitated system
Other Word Forms
- emulative adjective
- emulatively adverb
- emulator noun
- nonemulative adjective
- overemulate verb (used with object)
- unemulative adjective
Etymology
Origin of emulate
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin aemulātus, past participle of aemulārī “to rival”; emulous, -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The government's offensive against Al-Shabaab emulated the "Sunni Awakening" strategy of the United States in Iraq in the 2000s, when it backed Sunni Arab tribes against Al-Qaeda.
From Barron's
Now, she focuses on affirming positive behavior, hoping students will want to then emulate it.
From Los Angeles Times
Instead, they saw a “hopeful and enthusiastic working-class,” enjoying freedom from the “tyranny and incompetence of their former rulers” and “setting an example of industry and conduct” for all to emulate.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for a young man who had spoken to AFP before the game about wanting to be an "all-time great" and to emulate his illustrious Patriots predecessor Tom Brady.
From Barron's
We'll know in April whether his latest releases can emulate the recent success of ex-bandmates Harry and Louis, who topped the single and album charts respectively last week.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
