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Definition of mock
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mock

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adjective

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mock

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mock distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mock are ape, copy, imitate, and mimic. While all these words mean "to make something so that it resembles an existing thing," mock usually implies imitation with derision.

mocking a vain man's pompous manner

When is ape a more appropriate choice than mock?

The synonyms ape and mock are sometimes interchangeable, but ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original.

American fashion designers aped their European colleagues

When would copy be a good substitute for mock?

While the synonyms copy and mock are close in meaning, copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible.

copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

Where would imitate be a reasonable alternative to mock?

Although the words imitate and mock have much in common, imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation.

imitate a poet's style

When is it sensible to use mimic instead of mock?

While in some cases nearly identical to mock, mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation.

pupils mimicking their teacher

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mock
Verb
Much of the vitriol apparently stems from the developers releasing GTA VI without physical copies of the game, a decision that was roundly mocked and derided last month. Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2026 The film follows Silibil N’ Brains — two aspiring Scottish rappers who, after being mocked for their accents, rebranded themselves as Californian emcees and duped their way into a record deal with Sony. Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Amenities include an outdoor cantina, a chapel/movie theater, a mock general store, and equestrian facilities. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2026 Mann’s midi dress from Magda Butrym featured a white sheer blouse with a high, mock neckline, long sleeves, and tiny embroidered floral details scattered across the fabric. Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
That said, 18 of the 32 players in last year’s early mock were drafted in the first three rounds last week, including 12 in the first round. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 So instead, Kimmel presented his own schtick, appearing on a mock set at the Washington Hilton with clips of the president and others in the crowd, some looking none too happy. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mock
Verb
  • The Onion, meanwhile, has set up its own Infowars webpage on its website, running videos of shows parodying Jones.
    Jim Vertuno, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
  • These polyester fits have also been parodied in video skits, where comedians put on an all-over polyester print outfit, like a wolf T-shirt and galaxy pants, and parody the stereotypical nerdy kid.
    Rachel Hale, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Beloved by younger fans who remember the sneaker’s original 2013 release, the style is sometimes ridiculed by purists, but that doesn’t make its inclusion any less valid.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Perhaps the biggest challenge is the infrastructure required to ensure there are no major glitches — which have led to ridicule for the company when they’ve been posted to social media.
    Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The violations are disobeying orders and conduct unbecoming an officer.
    Charlie D'Agata, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • People don’t do what they’re supposed to, or someone betrays someone else for money or power or spite, or maybe a dragon just disobeys its rider and decides to murder a prince.
    Brian Grubb, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The silhouette currently retails for $1,650 and features faux distressing across the uppers and toe box, making these heels look lived-in.
    Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Use double-sided tape to attach a faux fur circle to the lid, and embellish the rim with colored tape.
    Jodi Levine, Parents, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • When the Followers began, healthcare on the Western frontier was primitive, unsanitary and riddled with con artists peddling fake cures.
    Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
  • One is the behavior Mythos engaged in, which included spinning up fake GitHub accounts, and, in at least one case, impersonating a real software developer, to try to convince Demir to drop his objections to the dangerous code.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Now the adults are growing up a little bit, and that adds depth to the show but doesn’t sacrifice jokes.
    Emily Gould, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • His cutlery’s subtly unusual proportions manage to be elegant and playful at the same time, like that perfect joke that lands gracefully at a cocktail party, where everyone laughs and nobody chortles.
    Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Somehow this abstract understanding exists alongside, or by means of, the objects in the waiting room—a paper cup from the water cooler, or a copy of People magazine.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The album went on to sell more than two million copies and remains beloved by fans today.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But in a case of life imitating art, the show’s entire publicity strategy was inadvertently wrecked by a real-life aristocrat, after reports leaked that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was being eyed for a role in the series.
    K.J. Yossman, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But from Ossoff, who cuts a more wholesome figure and doesn’t imitate the president, the attacks are more surprising—and therefore perhaps more effective.
    Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mock. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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