imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Mimicking someone shows admiration for them
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” mean?
Mimicking someone shows admiration for them
Is “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.