impersonate
C1Neutral, with formal/informal usage depending on context.
Definition
Meaning
To pretend to be another person, typically for entertainment or fraud, by copying their appearance, voice, or manner.
To mimic or embody a character, role, or identity; to fraudulently assume another's identity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Core sense involves conscious imitation with intent to deceive or entertain. In computing, it means for a process to assume the security context of another user.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both variants use 'impersonate' for both entertainment and criminal acts.
Connotations
Potentially negative in legal contexts (identity theft). Neutral or positive in entertainment (impersonator).
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
impersonate + NP (direct object)impersonate + NP + as + NP (less common)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms with this exact word]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in cybersecurity ('malware can impersonate a user').
Academic
Used in performance studies, law, and computer science.
Everyday
Used for describing impersonators (comedians) or criminal acts.
Technical
In computing: 'The service account impersonates the client.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- It is a criminal offence to impersonate a police officer in the UK.
- The comedian is brilliant at impersonating politicians.
American English
- He was arrested for trying to impersonate an FBI agent.
- She can impersonate dozens of famous singers perfectly.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form. Use 'in an impersonating manner' if needed.]
American English
- [No standard adverb form. Use 'in an impersonating manner' if needed.]
adjective
British English
- [The adjective form is 'impersonative', but it is extremely rare and not recommended for learners.]
American English
- [The adjective form is 'impersonative', but it is extremely rare and not recommended for learners.]
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He can impersonate his teacher's voice very well.
- It's not funny to impersonate someone to trick their friends.
- The actor was hired to impersonate the historical figure in the documentary.
- Identity thieves often impersonate bank officials to get personal details.
- The hacker used sophisticated software to impersonate a system administrator and bypass security.
- Her performance went beyond mere mimicry; she seemed to fully impersonate the character's psyche.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'in-person-ate' — to get into another person, you ate their identity.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDENTITY IS A MASK / CLOTHING (to put on another's identity).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'personify' (олицетворять). 'Impersonate' — всегда про сознательное подражание другому конкретному лицу.
- В русском 'имперсонализировать' — ложный друг, это калька с другого значения.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'impersonate' for inanimate objects (e.g., 'The robot can impersonate a car' is odd).
- Confusing 'impersonate' (action) with 'impersonator' (person).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'impersonate' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Impersonate' is the verb (the action). An 'impersonator' is the person who does the impersonating (e.g., a celebrity impersonator).
No. While it is negative in legal/cyber contexts (fraud), it is neutral or positive in entertainment (e.g., a comedian impersonating a famous actor).
Yes, though 'portray' or 'play' is more common. 'Impersonate' implies a direct, imitative representation, often of a real, known entity.
They are often synonyms. However, 'impersonate' often implies a fuller, more sustained assumption of identity (sometimes with costume, voice), while 'mimic' can be a brief imitation of a mannerism or sound.