1
as in imitation
using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model
your writing style tends to be imitative of whichever author you've recently read
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in synthetic
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials
an imitative extract never has the flavor of the real thing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 imitative
Aziz rolled out a summer crime imitative in 2021, shortly after his tenure began.
—
Jasmine Hilton, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
Girard drew from his early-career studies of literary figures such as Proust the insight that desire is essentially imitative (or mimetic) rather than straightforwardly directed toward its apparent objects.
—Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023
Mae’s life aligns with the repetitive, imitative work of Warhol, showing us that the story of growing into an adult — becoming a woman — is a story of aesthetic creation.
—Bekah Waalkes, Washington Post, 10 July 2023
The crowded true-crime space tends to be an imitative one—a quality that can work in victims’ favor, as with this docuseries, which builds on the empathy-building of its predecessors.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for imitative
Jasmine Hilton, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
Girard drew from his early-career studies of literary figures such as Proust the insight that desire is essentially imitative (or mimetic) rather than straightforwardly directed toward its apparent objects.
—Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023
Mae’s life aligns with the repetitive, imitative work of Warhol, showing us that the story of growing into an adult — becoming a woman — is a story of aesthetic creation.
—Bekah Waalkes, Washington Post, 10 July 2023
The crowded true-crime space tends to be an imitative one—a quality that can work in victims’ favor, as with this docuseries, which builds on the empathy-building of its predecessors.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for imitative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitative
Adjective
-
Petrochemicals are used in products around us: plastic packaging is used for food, ammonia is used in fertilizers, synthetic rubber is used for tires, and many laundry detergents are used.—
Simi Thambi,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Fentanyl, the deadly synthetic opioid driving the nation's high drug overdose rates, is also caught up in another serious problem: misinformation.—
Henry Larweh,
NPR,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
To get robotic collectives closer to Terminator’s mimetic polyalloy, the team wants to make the robots smaller.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
1 Mar. 2025
-
These mimetic dynamics play out not just within countries but between them.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This smart-looking slip-on is available in a variety of materials, including faux nubuck and leather.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Apr. 2025
-
At the stores, bestsellers in ready-to-wear have been their cashmeres and leathers, along with faux fur and items with special details such as rhinestones.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
By now, their break-ups to make-ups have become formulaic and boring — more than 780 episodes will do that to ya — but during the early seasons of The Simpsons, Homer and Marge's relationship was one of the most complex on television.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Statham reunites with director David Ayer after their last hit together, The Beekeeper, for this formulaic but effective actioner that might well have starred Sylvester Stallone decades ago (sorry, Sly, but the years are marching on).—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
With Stars Reach, the idea is to truly create a simulated galaxy worth exploring.—
David Jagneaux,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Hyundai did something similar with the Ioniq 5 N too, which features simulated paddle shifters that generate an ICE-car-like feel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In mock drafts, Hampton is often mocked to the early twenties or even late twenties to a team like the Washington Commanders.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Afterward, a mock court-martial was held, complete with the sentencing and execution of a private accused of desertion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Plus, the Star Theatre will be decorated with thousands of candles and artificial flowers.—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2025
-
But she’s soon embroiled in a case: A barrel containing the skeleton of a child surfaces from the artificial lake, at the bottom of which lies the submerged old village.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
These mimic quantum circuits without needing quantum hardware—some examples include IBM Qiskit Aer and Google Cirq Simulator.—
Margarita Simonova,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
-
That is, the mimic leaves were longer, and less lobed.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
14 Sep. 2024
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Imitative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitative. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share