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Impersonate vs Emulate - What's the difference?

impersonate | emulate |

As verbs the difference between impersonate and emulate

is that impersonate is to pretend to be (a different person), to assume the identity of while emulate is to attempt to equal or be the same as.

As an adjective emulate is

striving to excel; ambitious; emulous.

impersonate

English

Verb

(en-verb)
  • To pretend to be (a different person), to assume the identity of.
    • The conman managed to impersonate several executives.
  • (obsolete) To manifest in corporeal form; to personify.

    • Synonyms

    * (assume identity of) personate * (manifest in corporeal form) embody

    Derived terms

    * impersonation * impersonator

    emulate

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Verb

    (emulat)
  • To attempt to equal or be the same as.
  • To copy or imitate, especially a person.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 1 , author=Saj Chowdhury , title=Wolverhampton 1 - 2 Newcastle , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The Magpies are unbeaten and enjoying their best run since 1994, although few would have thought the class of 2011 would come close to emulating their ancestors.}}
  • (obsolete) To feel a rivalry with; to be jealous of, to envy.
  • * 1624 , John Smith, Generall Historie , in Kupperman 1988, p. 146:
    • But the councell then present emulating my successe, would not thinke it fit to spare me fortie men to be hazzarded in those unknowne regions [...].
  • (computing) of a program or device: to imitate another program or device

    • Related terms

    * emulation * emulator * emulous

    See also

    * mimic * copy * imitate * simulate

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Striving to excel; ambitious; emulous.
  • * Shakespeare
    • A most emulate pride.
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