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 means hackers gain access to data shared on Signal and can also impersonate the person whose account was compromised.

From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026

Detectives believe someone used the elder Hou’s cellphone to impersonate him for more than a month.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Indians who were later freed from compounds told police they sometimes received coaching in acting and regional accents to better impersonate law enforcement officers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

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

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

"They probably don't think anyone is stupid enough to impersonate Nazis and stop a transport. So they won't be expecting it."

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

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!