"impersonate" meaning in English

See impersonate in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /ɪmˈpɜːsəneɪt/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav Forms: impersonates [present, singular, third-person], impersonating [participle, present], impersonated [participle, past], impersonated [past]
Etymology: From im- + person (verb-forming suffix) + -ate. Etymology templates: {{af|en|in-|person|-ate|alt1=im-|id3=verb|pos2=verb-forming suffix}} im- + person (verb-forming suffix) + -ate Head templates: {{en-verb}} impersonate (third-person singular simple present impersonates, present participle impersonating, simple past and past participle impersonated)
  1. (transitive) To pretend to be (a different person); to assume the identity of, especially when there is an intent to deceive. Tags: transitive Synonyms: personate Translations (assume the identity of): олицетворявам (olicetvorjavam) (Bulgarian), imitar (Catalan), suplantar (Catalan), fer-se passar per (Catalan), 假冒 (jiǎmaò) (Chinese Mandarin), imiti (Esperanto), esiintyä [with-essive] (Finnish), esittää [with-partitive] (Finnish), imiter (French), sich ausgeben als (German), nachahmen (German), verkörpern (German), imitar (Portuguese), passar por (Portuguese), passar-se por (Portuguese), имперсонировать (impersonirovatʹ) (Russian), выдавать себя за (vydavatʹ sebja za) (Russian), copiar (Spanish), imitar (Spanish), suplantar (Spanish), hacerse pasar por (Spanish), empersonar (Spanish), ukulingisela (Zulu)
    Sense id: en-impersonate-en-verb-SqlxUkQz Categories (other): Terms with Portuguese translations Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 46 41 13 Disambiguation of 'assume the identity of': 92 3 5
  2. (transitive, computing) To operate with the permissions of a different user account. Tags: transitive Categories (topical): Computing
    Sense id: en-impersonate-en-verb-z4vVmPZa Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -ate (verb), Entries with translation boxes, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Catalan translations, Terms with Esperanto translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Zulu translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 20 65 15 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ate (verb): 24 55 20 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 20 59 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 21 60 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Catalan translations: 21 60 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Esperanto translations: 18 64 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 21 60 18 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 22 55 23 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 23 56 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 31 48 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 46 41 13 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 18 63 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 19 62 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Zulu translations: 19 65 16 Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
  3. (obsolete, transitive) To manifest in corporeal form; to personify. Tags: obsolete, transitive Synonyms: embody, impersonize Translations (embody, personify): encarnar (Catalan)
    Sense id: en-impersonate-en-verb-w046akwQ Categories (other): English terms prefixed with in-, Terms with Portuguese translations Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with in-: 25 26 49 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 46 41 13 Disambiguation of 'embody, personify': 9 2 89
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: impersonation, impersonator

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "impersonation"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "impersonator"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "in-",
        "3": "person",
        "4": "-ate",
        "alt1": "im-",
        "id3": "verb",
        "pos2": "verb-forming suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "im- + person (verb-forming suffix) + -ate",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From im- + person (verb-forming suffix) + -ate.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "impersonates",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "impersonating",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "impersonated",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "impersonated",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "impersonate (third-person singular simple present impersonates, present participle impersonating, simple past and past participle impersonated)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "46 41 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The conman managed to impersonate several executives.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Evil can and will always impersonate goodness.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To pretend to be (a different person); to assume the identity of, especially when there is an intent to deceive."
      ],
      "id": "en-impersonate-en-verb-SqlxUkQz",
      "links": [
        [
          "pretend",
          "pretend"
        ],
        [
          "identity",
          "identity"
        ],
        [
          "deceive",
          "deceive"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To pretend to be (a different person); to assume the identity of, especially when there is an intent to deceive."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "personate"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "olicetvorjavam",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "олицетворявам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "imitar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "suplantar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "fer-se passar per"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "jiǎmaò",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "假冒"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "imiti"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "tags": [
            "with-essive"
          ],
          "word": "esiintyä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "tags": [
            "with-partitive"
          ],
          "word": "esittää"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "imiter"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "sich ausgeben als"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "nachahmen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "verkörpern"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "imitar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "passar por"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "passar-se por"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "impersonirovatʹ",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "имперсонировать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "vydavatʹ sebja za",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "выдавать себя за"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "copiar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "imitar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "suplantar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "hacerse pasar por"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "empersonar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "92 3 5",
          "code": "zu",
          "lang": "Zulu",
          "sense": "assume the identity of",
          "word": "ukulingisela"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Computing",
          "orig": "en:Computing",
          "parents": [
            "Technology",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 65 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 55 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -ate (verb)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 59 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 60 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 60 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Catalan translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 64 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Esperanto translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 60 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 55 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 56 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 48 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "46 41 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 63 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 62 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 65 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Zulu translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To operate with the permissions of a different user account."
      ],
      "id": "en-impersonate-en-verb-z4vVmPZa",
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, computing) To operate with the permissions of a different user account."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "25 26 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with in-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "46 41 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1918, Paul Studer, Le mystère d'Adam, an Anglo-Norman drama of the twelfth century:",
          "text": "The shepherds were impersonated, then the Magi, finally Herod himself. In course of time all the elements of a fully developed Nativity play had thus been introduced.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To manifest in corporeal form; to personify."
      ],
      "id": "en-impersonate-en-verb-w046akwQ",
      "links": [
        [
          "personify",
          "personify"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete, transitive) To manifest in corporeal form; to personify."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "embody"
        },
        {
          "word": "impersonize"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "9 2 89",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "embody, personify",
          "word": "encarnar"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ɪmˈpɜːsəneɪt/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c9/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c9/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "impersonate"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms prefixed with in-",
    "English terms suffixed with -ate (verb)",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Esperanto translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Zulu translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "impersonation"
    },
    {
      "word": "impersonator"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "in-",
        "3": "person",
        "4": "-ate",
        "alt1": "im-",
        "id3": "verb",
        "pos2": "verb-forming suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "im- + person (verb-forming suffix) + -ate",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From im- + person (verb-forming suffix) + -ate.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "impersonates",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "impersonating",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "impersonated",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "impersonated",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "impersonate (third-person singular simple present impersonates, present participle impersonating, simple past and past participle impersonated)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The conman managed to impersonate several executives.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Evil can and will always impersonate goodness.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To pretend to be (a different person); to assume the identity of, especially when there is an intent to deceive."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "pretend",
          "pretend"
        ],
        [
          "identity",
          "identity"
        ],
        [
          "deceive",
          "deceive"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To pretend to be (a different person); to assume the identity of, especially when there is an intent to deceive."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "personate"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English transitive verbs",
        "en:Computing"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To operate with the permissions of a different user account."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, computing) To operate with the permissions of a different user account."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with obsolete senses",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1918, Paul Studer, Le mystère d'Adam, an Anglo-Norman drama of the twelfth century:",
          "text": "The shepherds were impersonated, then the Magi, finally Herod himself. In course of time all the elements of a fully developed Nativity play had thus been introduced.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To manifest in corporeal form; to personify."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "personify",
          "personify"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete, transitive) To manifest in corporeal form; to personify."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "embody"
        },
        {
          "word": "impersonize"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ɪmˈpɜːsəneɪt/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c9/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c9/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-impersonate.wav.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "olicetvorjavam",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "олицетворявам"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "imitar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "suplantar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "fer-se passar per"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "jiǎmaò",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "假冒"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "imiti"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "tags": [
        "with-essive"
      ],
      "word": "esiintyä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "tags": [
        "with-partitive"
      ],
      "word": "esittää"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "imiter"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "sich ausgeben als"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "nachahmen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "verkörpern"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "imitar"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "passar por"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "passar-se por"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "impersonirovatʹ",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "имперсонировать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vydavatʹ sebja za",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "выдавать себя за"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "copiar"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "imitar"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "suplantar"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "hacerse pasar por"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "empersonar"
    },
    {
      "code": "zu",
      "lang": "Zulu",
      "sense": "assume the identity of",
      "word": "ukulingisela"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "embody, personify",
      "word": "encarnar"
    }
  ],
  "word": "impersonate"
}

Download raw JSONL data for impersonate meaning in English (6.1kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (eaedd02 and 8fbd9e8). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.