What does impersonate mean?
Impersonate means to pretend to be another person or entity, usually by adopting their identity, appearance, voice, or characteristic behaviour. The word often implies deception or the unauthorized assumption of someone else’s authority, although it can also be used in neutral artistic and entertainment contexts. Common examples include impersonating a police officer, impersonating a celebrity, or impersonating a user online. Its related noun, impersonation, is especially common in legal, security, and identity-related discussions. Impersonate should be distinguished from imitate: copying a person’s style or mannerisms does not necessarily involve claiming to be that person. The word is useful because it identifies a specific kind of deception, in which appearance or representation is substituted for authentic identity. It can also describe consensual or fictional role-playing, but context usually determines whether the act is playful, theatrical, misleading, or fraudulent.
verbTo pretend to be another person, or to represent oneself as someone else, especially in order to deceive or obtain a benefit.
- To assume the identity, character, or mannerisms of another person or entity, especially in order to deceive or gain unauthorized benefit.
"The scammer impersonated a bank employee to persuade customers to disclose their account details."
"The comedian is famous for impersonating political leaders on television."
"Several messages in the online forum appeared to impersonate the company’s security team."
Add the prefix “im-” to “person,” and the word becomes an accusation of putting on someone else’s identity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How impersonate is actually used
The verb is formal and broadly neutral in grammatical register. It can describe deliberate performance, as when an actor impersonates a politician, but it usually carries a negative or fraudulent connotation when applied to real identities and official roles.
Easily confused with impersonate
Impersonate generally means presenting oneself as another person or entity, often deceptively, whereas imitate can mean copying someone’s appearance, behaviour, style, or work without necessarily claiming to be that person.