# imitating

/ˈɪməˌteɪtɪŋ/ (US) · /ˈɪmɪtˌeɪtɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/imitating
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

copying the way someone else speaks, moves, or behaves. You use this to describe someone who is trying to look or act like another person or thing.

For teachers: copying the actions, appearance, or speech of another person or entity. Often used as a participial adjective to describe a subject engaged in mimicry.

## Examples

- The child is imitating his father's walk.
- The young comedian became famous for imitating the voices of several well-known politicians.
- By imitating the complex songs of other birds, the mockingbird can effectively defend its territory from a wide variety of potential competitors.

## Usage notes

- Often functions as a participial adjective following a linking verb or as part of a continuous verb construction.

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