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emulate

verb/ˈɛm.jəˌleɪt/

to imitate or match someone or something with the intent to equal or surpass

The young artist tried to emulate the famous painter by using bright colors in her artwork.

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word origin — from Latin 'aemulari', meaning 'to strive to equal or excel'

Proficient Plus — Set 96

Set 96 of Proficient Plus covers 5 words: emulate, capitulate, plummet, impede, demean. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. emulate · verb/ˈɛm.jəˌleɪt/

    to imitate or match someone or something with the intent to equal or surpass

    The young artist tried to emulate the famous painter by using bright colors in her artwork.

    Synonyms: imitate, mimic, copy

    Origin: from Latin 'aemulari', meaning 'to strive to equal or excel'

  2. capitulate · verb/kəˈpɪtʃ.ə.leɪt/

    to cease resisting an opponent or unwelcome demand

    After many hours of negotiation, the team decided to capitulate and accept the other side's terms.

    Synonyms: surrender, yield, give in

    Origin: from Latin 'capitulat-', meaning 'made up of headings or chapters', from 'capitulum', meaning 'heading'

  3. plummet · verb/ˈplʌmət/

    to fall or drop suddenly and steeply

    The temperature will plummet overnight, so make sure to wear warm clothes.

    Synonyms: drop, fall, plunge

    Origin: Middle English 'plummet' meaning 'weight, lead weight', from Latin 'plumbum' meaning 'lead'.

  4. impede · verb/ɪmˈpid/

    to delay or prevent someone or something by obstructing them

    Heavy rain can impede the progress of construction work.

    Synonyms: hinder, obstruct, delay

    Origin: from Latin 'impedire', meaning 'to catch in' or 'to hinder'

  5. demean · verb/dɪˈmiːn/

    to lower in dignity or standing

    It is not right to demean others by making fun of them.

    Synonyms: lower, belittle, degrade

    Origin: from Old French 'demener' meaning 'to conduct, behave' based on Latin 'de-' + 'minare' meaning 'to lead'.