copycat 1 of 2

as in imitator
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way every rock singer who makes it big soon has a whole cluster of copycats

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copycat

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to imitate
to use (someone or something) as the model for one's speech, mannerisms, or behavior a performer who slavishly copycats another never rises to the level of true stardom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of copycat
Noun
The original Friday the 13th film, which followed a group of counselors being murdered at a summer camp, was released in 1980 and become a box-office hit, spawning myriad slasher copycats that flooded theaters in the ’80s and beyond. Nick Caruso, TVLine, 24 Mar. 2025 With their limited capital flows, challenges with customer acquisition and head-on collision with ultra-fast fashion competitors (and sometimes copycats), smaller, ethically focused brands were struggling long before Donald Trump entered the White House for the second time. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 9 May 2025
Verb
Park mentioned the case of the Boston Marathon Bomber, in which social media led to misidentification of suspects, and possibly to copycat cases. Michael M. Dewitt, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2021 Its new twist on phishing alerts, though, could give it and copycat criminal hackers one more edge in a fight that’s already unfair. Brian Barrett, Wired, 14 Oct. 2021 See All Example Sentences for copycat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copycat
Verb
  • But many others require clinicians to copy and paste transcripts, adding friction instead of removing it.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • To Goldsborough, the fact that Joker's behavior got copied by his peers reveals the strength of these monkeys' drive to learn from others, even if the behavior doesn't completely make sense or have an obvious, immediate benefit.
    Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • At Cruise’s behest, McQuarrie’s stunts imitate the most primitive filmmaking — not the awe-inspiring magic of Georges Méliès but the Lumière brothers’ rudimentary documentation of action.
    Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025
  • Walton imitated the big-box retail store and located them in small towns.
    Dileep Rao, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • The club has four million followers on Instagram — double that of Sunday’s fellow finalists, United — and over 800k followers on TikTok.
    Asli Pelit, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • Emilie Kiser has more than three million followers on TikTok and one million followers on Instagram.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • Elias’ main strategy has been to replicate the success of his former team, the Houston Astros, who reached the AL Championship seven straight years from 2017-2023 while winning two World Series.
    Paul Bledsoe, Baltimore Sun, 21 May 2025
  • Not looking to replicate what is already out there, the foundation aims to build something new and to allow creativity to guide the board members.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • A lot of people emulate some sort of legacy in order to shake the purse strings of their audience.
    Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
  • Who wants their grandchildren to emulate such limited vocabulary, negative language and divisive rhetoric?
    Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • This should not be a source of huge disquiet; not too long ago, Newcastle won a proper cup final rather than an echo of it.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • Become a Subscriber Last year, the United States went through a presidential election filled with Shakespearean echoes.
    Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Set in the dystopian society of Gilead, The Handmaid’s Tale follows June (aka Offred) as she’s forced to reproduce with a high-ranking commander, all while secretly plotting to overthrow the totalitarian government and reunite with the daughter who was taken from her.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 23 May 2025
  • The transition occurred partly because amniotes evolved to reproduce with hard-shelled, rather than soft-shelled, eggs.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Students can also participate in team challenges that mimic real-world collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • Best Wayfair Patio Furniture Memorial Day Sales If staycations are on the calendar this year, outdoor furniture that mimics the luxury and comfort of a resort is a must.
    Rachel Trujillo, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Copycat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copycat. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

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