imitative

adjective

ˈi-mə-ˌtā-tiv How to pronounce imitative (audio)
Definition of imitativenext
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 The word is likely imitative (onomatopoeic), echoing the sound of heavy breathing during sleep. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026 Since then, whenever new tools to crank out communications have become available, somebody has flooded the zone with the fastest, most imitative material that could garner attention. — Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2025 It may be borrowed or coined, named after a person, inspired by a place or imitative of a sound. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025 Conversations in dorm rooms and lecture halls consist of roughly 97% university-loathing and imitative protests to fire coaches and athletic directors. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imitative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imitative
  1. mimetic
  2. synthetic
  3. formulaic
  4. faux
  5. mock
  6. simulated
  7. unoriginal
  8. artificial
Adjective
  • College and university bureaucracies tend to have a strong mimetic streak.
    — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Thiel is a serious intellectual shaped by René Girard, his mentor at Stanford, whose mimetic theory of violence and sacrifice underpins much of how Thiel sees the world.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 July 2026
Definition of mimetic
Adjective
  • Rather, this is a dangerous, shape-shifting synthetic entity that ravaged their entire planet.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • And because the stretch is mechanical rather than synthetic, this construction maintains its comfort and flexibility over time.
    — Catherine Salfino, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of synthetic
Adjective
  • Slop is formulaic and impersonal, the aggregate of everything that is already imitating everything else.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Episodes tended to be repetitive and formulaic and the level of detail devoted to knowledge varied widely.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of formulaic
Adjective
  • The silhouette currently retails for $1,650 and features faux distressing across the uppers and toe box, making these heels look lived-in.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Use double-sided tape to attach a faux fur circle to the lid, and embellish the rim with colored tape.
    — Jodi Levine, Parents, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • The outfit consisted of a sleeveless, mock-neck blouse in mocha-brown, tucked into a tawny suede skirt that hit just above her ankles.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Mirroring the look of King’s footwear, Osaka sported a metallic silver pleated top with a mock neckline and no sleeves.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of mock
Adjective
  • Just like their simulated counterparts, the worms consistently moved through the narrower channels faster than the wider ones.
    — K. R. Prathyusha, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
  • After five billion simulated years, the team observed irregularities in nearly every stellar stream, according to a press release.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of simulated
Adjective
  • Summary Leaders are increasingly sounding generic, often using similar buzzwords, a trend exacerbated by AI's ability to generate competent but unoriginal communication.
    — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • No moral panic is more unoriginal than the fear that contemporary men are no longer as manly as the heroes who preceded them.
    — Elizabeth Dray, STAT, 21 July 2026
Definition of unoriginal
Adjective
  • Like the focus on artificial dyes, however, many of the administration's highest-profile health initiatives rely on voluntary agreements.
    — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Chelsea even created an artificial deadline for City to stump up £120m for Enzo Fernandez.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of artificial

Browse Nearby Words

imitations
imitative
imitator
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imitative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imitative. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All