emulation
Americannoun
-
effort or desire to equal or excel others.
- Synonyms:
- competition, imitation
-
Obsolete. jealous rivalry.
noun
-
the act of emulating or imitating
-
the effort or desire to equal or surpass another or others
-
archaic jealous rivalry
Other Word Forms
- nonemulation noun
- overemulation noun
Etymology
Origin of emulation
First recorded in 1545–55, emulation is from the Latin word aemulātiōn- (stem of aemulātiō ). See emulate, -ion
Explanation
Emulation is the effort to act like someone else. Your emulation of your older brother on the tennis court might create a rivalry between you, as you become a better player. Emulation comes from the Latin aemulat- meaning "rivaled, equaled," but we usually use emulation in a non-competitive sense, like the emulation of a role model. Having a role model can be useful. Your emulation of that person can help keep you focused toward your goal. It's when that admiration turns into a competitive obsession that emulation becomes a problem. In computing, emulation is the technique used so one machine gets the same results as another.
Vocabulary lists containing emulation
Julius Caesar
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"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
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“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift
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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.
In emulation, many rich economies—including the U.S.—have begun to implement industrial policies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Mars defended the advert, saying "the cars were shot driving at lawful speeds and any emulation would only reflect the legal and safe driving presented".
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2025
I had become a deep reader of the genre in my 20s, and, as all writers are readers in emulation, I began to think about writing a hard-boiled fiction of my own.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2023
Our system is not a perfect emulation of graphene, but for understanding the phenomena we're interested in, it's just as good.
From Scientific American • Jun. 18, 2023
Woundwort believed in emulation and he let it be known that there would be plenty of chances to win rewards.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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.
