impersonate

verb

im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating
Synonyms of impersonatenext

transitive verb

: to assume or act the character of : personate
impersonating a police officer
impersonation
im-ˌpər-sə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
noun

Synonyms of impersonate

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Examples of impersonate in a Sentence

He was arrested for impersonating a police officer. a comedian with a talent for impersonating famous politicians and actors
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
So don't go off topic, don't impersonate anyone, and don't get your facts wrong. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 29 June 2026 Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026 The first stage puts its payload inside an app bundle that impersonates real components built into macOS. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026 This allows criminals to impersonate carriers, intercept deliveries, and disable GPS tracking. — Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for impersonate

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impersonate was in 1715

Rhymes for impersonate

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Browse Nearby Words

impersonalize
impersonate
impersonator
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Impersonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impersonate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

impersonate

verb
im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating
: to pretend to be some other person
impersonate a police officer
impersonation
-ˌpərs-ᵊn-ˈā-shən
noun
impersonator
-ˈpərs-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər
noun

Legal Definition

impersonate

transitive verb
im·​per·​son·​ate im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
impersonated; impersonating
: to assume (another's or a fictitious identity) without authority and with fraudulent intent
impersonate a police officer
impersonated a public servant by saying he was from the water department
impersonator
-ˌnā-tər How to pronounce impersonate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impersonate

Nglish: Translation of impersonate for Spanish Speakers

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