impersonate

[im-pur-suh-neyt, im-pur-suh-nit] / ɪmˈpɜr səˌneɪt, ɪmˈpɜr sə nɪt /

VERB

pretend to be another

Synonyms

STRONGEST

act like imitate masquerade as mimic portray pose as

STRONG

act ape ditto do enact fake mirror perform personate play playact represent

WEAK

act a part act out assume character do an impression of double as dress as make like pass oneself off as play a role put on an act take the part of

Antonyms

STRONG

direct fail halt idle prevent stop

WEAK

be original differ oppose reverse

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.

This season, Fey dropped by to impersonate freshly ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

Two performers who impersonate famous musicians form a Neil Diamond tribute band and fall in love, but a devastating accident threatens their relationship and dreams.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

It tells the story of Mitchell's puzzle-writing misfit John Taylor, who agrees to impersonate his missing twin James in order to help his wife Lucy solve the mystery of his disappearance.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025

And while most AI clips I’ve seen have been lighthearted, there’s a sinister side to the technology, where deepfakes are used to impersonate real people and steal money.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025

Surely Mom knew that Natalie could just impersonate the Natalie Mayhew of this world; surely she knew that those two would look like exact doubles.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Vocabulary lists containing impersonate

The Secret Life of Bees

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Rebound

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 5–February 11, 2022

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!