mimic
Americanverb (used with object)
-
mimics,
present (3rd person singular)
-
mimicked,
past participle, past
-
mimicking
present participle
-
to imitate or copy in action, speech, etc., often playfully or derisively.
- Synonyms:
- counterfeit, simulate, impersonate, mock, follow
-
to imitate in a servile or unthinking way; ape.
-
to be an imitation of; simulate; resemble closely.
noun
-
mimics
plural
-
a person who mimics, especially a performer skilled in mimicking others.
-
a copy or imitation of something.
-
a performer in a mime.
adjective
-
imitating or copying something, often on a smaller scale.
a mimic battle.
- Synonyms:
- mock
-
apt at or given to imitating; imitative; simulative.
verb
-
to imitate (a person, a manner, etc), esp for satirical effect; ape
known mainly for his ability to mimic other singers
-
to take on the appearance of; resemble closely
certain flies mimic wasps
-
to copy closely or in a servile manner
noun
-
a person or an animal, such as a parrot, that is clever at mimicking
-
an animal that displays mimicry
adjective
-
of, relating to, or using mimicry; imitative
-
simulated, make-believe, or mock
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
mimicsimple
-
mimicssimple
-
have mimickedperfect
-
has mimickedperfect
-
am mimickingprogressive
-
are mimickingprogressive
-
is mimickingprogressive
-
have been mimickingperfect progressive
-
has been mimickingperfect progressive
Past
-
mimickedsimple
-
had mimickedperfect
-
was mimickingprogressive
-
were mimickingprogressive
-
had been mimickingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of mimic
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin mīmicus, from Greek mīmikós; equivalent to mime + -ic
Explanation
A mimic is someone who is good at imitating others. A gifted mimic might be able to imitate one president after another just by minimally changing facial expression and manner of speaking. Mimic, related to mime ("an entertainer who performs using gestures not speech"), can be traced back to the Greek mimeisthai, "to imitate." Usually when you mimic someone, you imitate them in order to make fun of them. Performers mimic famous people to get laughs, but ordinary people mimic others when they are angry at them. Who hasn't mimicked parents or a boss who has said no one too many times?!
Vocabulary lists containing mimic
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 6
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Instead of "Said": Words That Sound Like What They Mean
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The New SAT: The Language of the Test
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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:
The sticks are legitimate products, but they can also be "sideloaded" with unauthorised software, allowing pirates to mimic the output of legitimate outlets by offering packages of selected channels.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
The Menlo Park-based company runs an app that allows people to create and interact with chatbots who mimic celebrities, historical figures or other virtual characters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Just because you cannot mimic your friends’ career paths doesn’t mean your own is set in stone.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
To mimic strength training, the mice climbed a 70-centimeter staircase while carrying weights attached to their tails.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
When she mentioned that I had started wetting the bed, I went to where the others were watching TV and started to mimic what was on the screen.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
Zuckerberg's recent essay doesn't name names - but the Meta boss mimics Andreessen by questioning those who have warned about the negatives of future tech.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Novo’s success was fueled by one thing: semaglutide, a medication that mimics the naturally occurring hormone in the gut that signals to the brain it’s not hungry, while regulating digestion and blood sugar.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
As for claims that the substance mimics the amino acid profile of human skin, Rogers said the comparison is often overstated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
They used a mouse model that mimics ACL tears, a common sports injury seen in activities such as soccer, basketball, and skiing that involve sudden stopping, pivoting, or jumping.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 12, 2026
A’Leia mimics him, sliding her glasses over her nose.
From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Moreover, even a consumer-goods manufacturer’s boldest creations can be mimicked by a retailer’s private label.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
The plan in many ways mimicked last season’s successful sojourn to London to play the Jacksonville Jaguars.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
The winner of the recent Mexico City edition was a fresh-faced Kaled Rosales Salazar, who mimicked lassoing and leading his opponent, Quintana, like a horse, with a giant white sandal as a prop.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Other New York firms mimicked its system of recruiting top Ivy League law school graduates and training them for lifelong careers at the firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Perhaps she would make the silly face, the one with which they had once mimicked each other.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
As a model processed one of the zones, researchers added specific mathematical signals mimicking negative states.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026
Jack, a Toy Story fan, responded with his usual "to infinity and beyond," mimicking the catchphrase of the Buzz Lightyear character from the movie.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
Girls tend to be more adept at mimicking social responses like eye contact and reciprocal play.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
To test that idea, the researchers used a drug to inhibit C3 activation in mice, mimicking one of the effects of calorie restriction.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
Tea Cake stood there mimicking the tuning of a guitar.
From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
