emulate

UK: /ˈɛmjʊleɪt/

US: /ˈɛmjəˌleɪt/

US: (v. em′yə lāt′; adj. em′yə lit)

Inflections of 'emulate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

emulates

v 3rd person singular

emulating

v pres p

emulated

v past

emulated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

em•u•late /ˈɛmyəˌleɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to imitate (someone or something) in an effort to equal or do better than; to try to do as well as or better than:
   The struggling companies want to emulate the successful overseas competition.

em•u•la•tion /ˌɛmyəˈleɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]
em•u•la•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

em•u•late  (v. em′yə lāt′;adj. em′yə lit), v., -lat•ed, -lat•ing, adj. 
v.t. 

1. to try to equal or excel;
   imitate with effort to equal or surpass:
   to emulate one's father as a concert violinist.
2. to rival with some degree of success:
   Some smaller cities now emulate the major capitals in their cultural offerings.
3. Computing
   • Computing to imitate (a particular computer system) by using a software system, often including a microprogram or another computer that enables it to do the same work, run the same programs, etc., as the first.
   • to replace (software) with hardware to perform the same task.

adj. 

4. [Obs.] emulous.

• Latin aemulātus, past participle of aemulārī to rival. See emulous, -ate¹
• 1580–90

em′u•la′tive, adj. 
em′u•la′tive•ly, adv. 
em′u•la′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. follow, copy.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

emulate / ˈɛmjʊˌleɪt/ verb (transitive)

1. to attempt to equal or surpass, esp by imitation
2. to rival or compete with

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin aemulārī, from aemulus competing with; probably related to imitārī to imitate

ˈemulative adjective

ˈemuˌlator noun