verb
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impersonate
ihm-PUR-suh-nayt
Impersonate (verb) means to pretend to be someone else, often to deceive or entertain. Example: “He was arrested for impersonating a police officer.”
verb
1
To pretend to be someone else, often to deceive or entertain.
"He was arrested for impersonating a police officer."
"The comedian impersonates famous politicians on stage."
2
(computing) To act with the access rights of a different user account.
"The admin tool lets support staff impersonate a user to debug their account."
How to use impersonate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo pretend to be somebody else, whether as a scam, a joke, or a technical trick.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
impersonate an officer
impersonate a celebrity
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- impersonates
- Past tense
- impersonated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The comedian _____ famous politicians on stage.
Etymology
From im- + person + -ate, literally "to put into a person."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for impersonate
See all rhymes for impersonate →Frequently asked questions
What does “impersonate” mean?
The word “impersonate” means to pretend to be someone else, often to deceive or entertain. In plain terms, to pretend to be somebody else, whether as a scam, a joke, or a technical trick.
How do you pronounce “impersonate”?
“Impersonate” is pronounced ihm-PUR-suh-nayt (/ɪmˈpɜːsəneɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “impersonate” in a sentence?
Here is “impersonate” used in a sentence: “The comedian impersonates famous politicians on stage.”
What part of speech is “impersonate”?
“Impersonate” is a verb.
How many meanings does “impersonate” have?
“Impersonate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to pretend to be someone else, often to deceive or entertain.
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