# simulator

/ˈsɪmjəˌɫeɪtɝ/ (US) · /sˈɪmjʊlˌeɪtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/simulator
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. training machine

noun · CEFR B2

a machine that copies the feeling of a real vehicle or environment, used to train people like pilots or drivers.

For teachers: a physical or digital apparatus that emulates a specific environment, typically used for professional training where real-world practice is dangerous or expensive.

- The pilot spent fifty hours in a flight simulator before he was allowed to fly a real plane.
- Medical students now use a surgical simulator to practice delicate procedures before they ever enter a real operating theatre.

Usage: Often used with a modifying noun like 'flight', 'driving', or 'combat'.

### 2. realistic game

noun · CEFR B2

a type of video game that tries to copy real life as closely as possible.

For teachers: a genre of software or video game that prioritises the realistic reproduction of a specific activity or system.

- He loves playing a farming simulator where he has to manage crops and tractors.
- The latest racing simulator offers such realistic physics that professional drivers use it to learn new tracks during the off-season.

Teaching tip: In gaming culture, this is frequently shortened to 'sim'.

### 3. a person who fakes

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

someone who pretends to have a feeling or a physical condition.

For teachers: an individual who feigns a state, emotion, or physical symptom, often for the purpose of deception.

- The doctor suspected the patient was a simulator who just wanted to avoid going to work.
- The investigator had to distinguish between a genuine victim and a clever simulator attempting to claim insurance money.

Usage: This sense is much rarer than the technical or gaming senses.

## Examples

- The pilot practices landing in a flight simulator.
- Medical students use a surgery simulator to improve their hand-eye coordination before operating on real patients.
- Advanced climate models run on a powerful simulator to predict how rising sea levels might affect coastal cities over the next century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.