SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
emulation
noun
An attempt to match or surpass a model through imitation.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Striving to match a model
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topImitation can be passive; emulation adds an ambition to match or exceed the model.
RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The emulate family
emulation is grouped under emulate in the main dictionaries. This form keeps its meaning and previous study record.
emulateverb
To strive to equal or surpass a model through imitation.
Imitate to match a model
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
The young pianist tried to emulate her teacher's careful phrasing.
The illustrator later shared an exemplary poster in a workshop, explaining why its limited elements worked well together. She wanted it to embody the principle that clarity could be visually engaging, not to suggest that every future design should look the same. A student hoped to emulate the care behind that result without copying its exact arrangement.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See emulation in use
Her early poems began in emulation of a writer she admired.
Omar began with emulation, studying how an experienced member asked precise follow-up questions and trying to match that care in his own exchange.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license