Definition

1. Verb:
   • To pretend to be another person, often with deceptive or fraudulent intent: To assume the identity of someone else, typically to deceive others.
   • To imitate or mimic the character or appearance of another person, especially for entertainment: To act the part of a specific person, often in a performance or comedic setting.

Examples of Usage

• Verb (with deceptive intent):

  • He was arrested for attempting to impersonate a police officer.
  • Criminals sometimes impersonate bank officials to steal personal information.

• Verb (for entertainment/performance):

  • The comedian is famous for his ability to impersonate celebrities.
  • In the play, she will impersonate the historical figure perfectly.

Advanced Usage

• "to impersonate someone successfully": to mimic or pretend to be someone so convincingly that others are fooled.

  • The spy was trained to impersonate a diplomat successfully.

• "charged with impersonation": a legal phrase indicating someone is formally accused of the crime of pretending to be someone else, often an authority figure.

  • He was charged with impersonation after pretending to be a doctor.

Variants and Related Words

• Impersonation (n): The act of impersonating someone.

  • His impersonation of the president was uncanny.

• Impersonator (n): A person who impersonates others, especially as a job or performance.

  • He is a professional Elvis impersonator.

Synonyms

• Pose as: To pretend to be (often with fraudulent intent).
• Mimic: To imitate closely, especially for comic effect.
• Portray: To represent or describe in a work of art (can overlap when meaning to act a role).

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Impersonate" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. The verb is typically used transitively.)

Related Idioms

• "To be a good impersonator of": To be skilled at mimicking a particular person.
  • She is a good impersonator of famous singers.

Verb

1. pretend to be someone you are not; sometimes with fraudulent intentions
   • She posed as the Czar's daughter
2. represent another person with comic intentions
3. assume or act the character of
   • She impersonates Madonna
   • The actor portrays an elderly, lonely man