emulate
Americanverb (used with object)
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emulates,
present (3rd person singular)
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emulated,
past participle, past
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emulating
present participle
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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
Derived Forms
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emulatornoun
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overemulateverb (used with object)
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emulativeadjective
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nonemulativeadjective
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unemulativeadjective
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emulativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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emulatesimple
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emulatessimple
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have emulatedperfect
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has emulatedperfect
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am emulatingprogressive
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are emulatingprogressive
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is emulatingprogressive
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have been emulatingperfect progressive
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has been emulatingperfect progressive
Past
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emulatedsimple
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had emulatedperfect
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was emulatingprogressive
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were emulatingprogressive
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had been emulatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of emulate
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin aemulātus, past participle of aemulārī “to rival”; see emulous, -ate 1
Explanation
When you emulate someone, you imitate them, especially with the idea of matching their success. When someone is impressive because of their great skills, brains, strength, or accomplishments, others will emulate them. To emulate is to imitate and model yourself after someone. People emulate role models — people they want to be like. After Michael Jordan retired from the NBA, player after player tried to emulate Jordan's game and success. It's hard to be as good as someone like that, but having a hero to emulate can be helpful in many areas of life.
Vocabulary lists containing emulate
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"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)
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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.
See Examples For:
Horton showed up to his audition and instinctively tried to emulate Tanter’s signature baritone voice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
For the activists at Pro Animal DC, who are seeking to emulate places like California and Pittsburgh that have enacted laws against foie gras, it's about fighting animal cruelty.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
One way to emulate highly successful people is to start in a tactile sector, like construction or auto repair, that gives you hands-on experience.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
Benn has won 25 of his 26 fights as a professional and would emulate his father, Nigel, by claiming a WBC title with another victory.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
He loved his brother's reckless wrath, but it was their lord father he must try and emulate.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
“You could feel the characters being designed in a way that emulates real-life experiences,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2025
In doing so, he emulates his friend Claressa Shields, who was ringside and remains female boxing's trailblazer with undisputed crowns in three divisions.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2025
James’ figure, one inch taller than the typical Ken doll, emulates the Lakers forward’s fashion sense with a blue varsity jacket patched with his initials, “LJ,” and his signature 23 jersey number.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2025
Artificial photosynthesis, which emulates this natural process of photosynthesis, uses sunlight to produce valuable resources, such as hydrogen, and it has garnered attention as a sustainable energy solution.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 2, 2024
In addition, he is continually amazed by how much Maxine emulates her parents, how much she respects their tastes and their ways.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck examine Greenspan’s legacy and the way it’s being emulated by the Fed’s current chair, Kevin Warsh.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026
That was emulated a couple of hours later by Manchester City's Erling Haaland in Norway's 4-1 win over Iraq.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Using an emulated target trial approach, which relies on existing healthcare data rather than traditional clinical trials, the researchers were able to assess outcomes more quickly and efficiently.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 14, 2026
The site emulated Facebook and TikTok by adding a news feed and videos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
My father had a lot of artist’s prints, limited edition copies approved and signed by the artist of the masterwork they emulated.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
Meanwhile, the price of lab-grown diamonds — or diamonds made by emulating the earth’s natural heat and pressure conditions — has fallen, as technological advances and production expansion lead to oversupply.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
“Beginning Middle End” unfolds in 24 parts, emulating the structure of the Odyssey.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Last year the then prime minister of the Faroes, Aksel Johannesen, told BBC News that Shetland could boost growth, revitalise island life and encourage population growth by emulating his country's tunnel network.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
But issues arose when emulating the blue and brown colors, which both require large amounts of Blue No. 1.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026
He knew nothing of that silent middle class that struggled between genteel poverty and the impossible desire of emulating the golden canaille to which he himself belonged.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
