Impersonation

/ɪmˌpɜːr.səˈneɪ.ʃən/

Meaning & Definition

noun
The act of pretending to be another person, often in order to deceive or entertain.
The comedian's impersonation of the famous actor had the audience in stitches.
The act of assuming the character or appearance of someone else.
Her impersonation of the politician was so convincing that many believed she was actually him.
A form of deception where one person takes on the identity of another, usually for fraudulent purposes.
The bank suffered significant losses due to an impersonation scam that fooled several customers.
The representation of a character or figure, especially in theatrical performances.
His impersonation skills made him a sought-after performer at corporate events.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'impersonare', which means 'to assume a character'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

identity theft:
The act of stealing someone's personal information to impersonate them.
doppelgänger:
A non-biologically related look-alike or double of a living person.
persona management:
The practice of creating multiple online identities for various purposes, often to impersonate others.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

Catfish
He's just catfishing you, using someone else's photos on the internet.
Faking it
Don't be fooled, she's just faking it with that accent.