English Reference
Verb

impersonate

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌɪmˈpɝsəˌneɪt/ UK /ɪmpˈɜːsənˌeɪt/ im·per·son·ate UK spelling impersonated, impersonates, impersonating Computing

v.to pretend to be someone else, like a famous person or a character. You do this to make people think you are that person for a short time.

v.to represent or portray a person or character; to mimic the appearance, voice, or mannerisms of another. Often used in the context of performance or digital security breaches.


SIMPLE

He can impersonate his favorite actor very well.

CONTEXTUAL

The comedian spent years practicing how to impersonate the president's voice for the show.

COMPLEX

In the digital realm, sophisticated malware can impersonate legitimate software to trick users into surrendering their login credentials without realizing the deception.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham messaged briefly with a person impersonating Susie Wiles, a British government official said.

The New York Times· 17 Aug 2026

Scammers can use this technology to impersonate family members, co-workers or celebrities.

The Conversation· 10 Aug 2026

From im- + person (verb-forming suffix) + -ate.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated