emulation

American  

[em-yuh-ley-shuhn] / ˌɛm yəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. effort or desire to equal or excel others.

   Synonyms:

   competition, imitation

2. Obsolete. jealous rivalry.

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emulation British  

/ ˌɛmjʊˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of emulating or imitating

2. the effort or desire to equal or surpass another or others

3. archaic jealous rivalry

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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.

Example Sentences

In emulation, many rich economies—including the U.S.—have begun to implement industrial policies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

A grand ayatollah and source of emulation is among a select few of the highest-ranking clerics.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

On the face of it, he is perhaps more a middle-class loner, and his apparent normality suggests a crime triggered by internalised mental processes, rather than by peer-driven association or emulation.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2025

De Palma’s slavish emulation of Hitchcock runs through numerous films, and with notable specificity.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2024

He knew how to encourage other rabbits and to fill them with a spirit of emulation.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Related Words

• simulation