impersonate

/ɪmˈpɜːsəneɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpɜːrsəneɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /im-ˈpər-sə-ˌnāt/ (ame, mw)

impersonate — verb

  • impersonatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • impersonateshe / she / it
  • impersonatedpast simple
  • impersonating-ing form

1. to copy how a person talks, walks, or acts, so that other people find it funny o

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to copy how a person talks, walks, or acts, so that other people find it funny or entertaining

例句

At the office party, Mei-Lin impersonated the boss by wearing his hat and mimicking his deep voice.

impersonate + boss — copying appearance and voice for humour

The comedian impersonated the prime minister during her show at the city theatre.

public figure as object in a performance context

同義詞
  • imitate

    broader — means copying behaviour or style, not necessarily a specific person or for entertainment

  • mimic

    focuses on copying voice, gestures, or sound; can be playful or mocking

  • do an impression of

    informal phrase specific to comedy contexts; 'He does a great impression of the singer.'

文法句型

impersonate + noun phrase (a specific person)

用法筆記

Frequently takes a person's name, role, or title as the object. The impersonated person is usually recognisable to the audience — a celebrity, politician, or well-known figure.

常見錯誤

❌He pretended the president at the party.
✅He impersonated the president at the party.
💡'pretend' cannot take a direct object this way; 'pretend to be + noun' is correct but describes acting, not mimicking someone's specific traits.
❌She imitated a police officer to get into the building.
✅She impersonated a police officer to get into the building.
💡'imitate' means copying style or behaviour in general, not assuming another person's identity to gain access.

2. to act as if you are a particular person in order to trick someone, for example

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

to act as if you are a particular person in order to trick someone, for example to gain money, entry, or information

例句

A thief impersonated a police officer to get past the security guards at the bank entrance.

impersonating authority figure to bypass security

Deepa impersonated a nurse by wearing a white coat and carrying a fake hospital badge.

同義詞
  • pose as

    phrasal verb; more informal, often used in news headlines ('posing as a police officer')

  • masquerade as

    suggests a sustained or elaborate deception behind a false identity

反義詞
  • reveal

    to show your true identity

文法句型

impersonate + noun phrase (a role or authority figure)

用法筆記

Common in crime reports, fraud warnings, and legal writing. The object is usually a position of trust or authority — police officer, doctor, lawyer, bank employee. Frequently used in passive constructions ('He was arrested for impersonating…').

常見錯誤

❌She disguised a doctor to enter the hospital.
✅She impersonated a doctor to enter the hospital.
💡'disguise' means changing your appearance, not pretending to be a specific person with a job role.