replicate
Americanadjective
verb (used with object)
-
replicates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
replicated,
past participle, past
-
replicating
present participle
-
to bend or fold back.
a replicated leaf.
-
to repeat, duplicate, or reproduce, especially for experimental purposes.
We were unable to replicate the same results in the field.
-
Genetics. (of a cell) to make a copy of (its DNA).
The cell replicates its DNA to begin the process of cell division.
verb (used without object)
-
replicates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
replicated,
past participle, past
-
replicating
present participle
noun
verb
-
(also intr) to make or be a copy of; reproduce
-
to fold (something) over on itself; bend back
-
to reply to
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
replicatesimple
-
replicatessimple
-
have replicatedperfect
-
has replicatedperfect
-
am replicatingprogressive
-
are replicatingprogressive
-
is replicatingprogressive
-
have been replicatingperfect progressive
-
has been replicatingperfect progressive
Past
-
replicatedsimple
-
had replicatedperfect
-
was replicatingprogressive
-
were replicatingprogressive
-
had been replicatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of replicate
First recorded in 1525–35; from Late Latin replicātus, past participle of replicāre “to fold back”; see re-, ply 2, -ate 1
Explanation
Did you just figure out how to make that excellent pizza you had in Philadelphia? Then what you’ve done is replicate it, meaning you’ve been able to reproduce it. The word replicate carries different shades of meaning, but it generally involves repeating something. Students of biology will know that the word is often used to indicate that an exact duplicate has been made, such as chromosomes that replicate themselves. It can also be used in an unscientific sense to mean that something has been done again to match or repeat an earlier outcome, such as a political group that works to replicate a successful campaign.
Vocabulary lists containing replicate
NAEP Test Words
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Florida EOC Biology 1
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The Bluest Eye
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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 Scottish government said it would "seek to replicate" the £100 energy payment.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Your story suggests that the Gund Co. approach is tough to replicate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
Yet industry veterans say surviving facilities with expansive live rooms, vintage gear and decades of recording history may be becoming more valuable as they become harder to replicate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
In an era when creative minds are feeling the existential threat of fast-moving tech, readers still seek authors like James whose style no AI agent—or any other human—can replicate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
“To be born into privilege,” she said, “is to be given the tools to replicate that privilege.”
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
His ability to occupy those positions - with strong defending and elegance on the ball - replicates some of the work Stones did for City.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The FDA approved last week a new eCP treatment—a cholesterol-reducing drug from Merck that replicates the function of existing large-molecule biologics while cutting prices dramatically.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Coffin replicates Edwin S. Porter’s 1903 “The Great Train Robbery,” often considered one of the first films that used editing for storytelling — and one of the first action movies ever.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
Tuchel has made it clear he wants his England team to play in a style that replicates the physicality of the Premier League.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Fixers were designed to replicate under strictly regulated conditions, but the damaged Fixer replicates uncontrollably, at an exponential rate, using whatever materials are at hand.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
"That's why there's anticipation that the same magic can be replicated with the Jio IPO."
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
But it’s a far better analogy for how viewers rallied behind the show, making Hansen and his questionable methods a sensation that could be replicated after their mutual cancellation.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
“It’s a large volume for just a couple of subjects. Our concern is that this fraud could be replicated by other individuals that are out there victimizing other people in similar schemes.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Grinberg acknowledged that products built by one startup one day can likely be replicated by a competitor the next day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Facts could be checked, experiments replicated, authorities could be set side by side and compared.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Robert and Michelle King return to the network and territory of their acclaimed series “The Good Wife” with this Silicon Valley-based legal dramedy, replicating that show’s mix of quirk, current events and courtroom nail-biters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
By replicating the action of this hormone, GLP-1 drugs have proven highly effective at managing type 2 diabetes and promoting weight loss.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026
Fans love replicating a well-known scene from Andor.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
“If a researcher knows their peer will be replicating their work next week, they simply won’t dare to cheat,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
No one knew what had killed the nun, but clearly it was a replicating agent, and the signs and symptoms of the disease were not easy to consider with a calm mind.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
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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.
