simulate

simulate — verb

1. to show a feeling, expression, or physical condition that is not real, usually t

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to show a feeling, expression, or physical condition that is not real, usually to create a false impression or gain an advantage — for example, simulating interest in a boring meeting, or simulating an injury to get sympathy.

Example

Dario simulated enthusiasm for the camping trip even though he hated the outdoors.

simulate + emotion (enthusiasm, interest) to hide true feelings

The captured spy simulated a coughing fit to avoid answering the guards.

Common collocations
  • simulate interest
  • simulate enthusiasm
  • simulate an illness
  • simulate surprise
  • simulate confidence
Synonyms
  • fake

    less formal, used in everyday speech

  • feign

    more formal and literary, common in written narratives

  • pretend

    usually followed by a clause or to-infinitive ('pretend to be asleep'), while simulate takes a noun object

Antonyms
  • express

    to show a genuine feeling openly

Grammar Patterns

simulate + noun (an emotion, a symptom, a reaction)

Usage Note

The object is typically a feeling (interest, enthusiasm), a physical symptom (pain, a cough), or a reaction (surprise, fear). The person doing the simulating knows the display is false — it is deliberate, not accidental.

Common Mistakes

She simulated to be interested.
She simulated interest.
simulate takes a noun object, not an infinitive clause.

2. to build a computer model, a physical setup, or a scenario that behaves like a r

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to build a computer model, a physical setup, or a scenario that behaves like a real-world system, process, or situation, typically so that people can study it, train with it, or test predictions — for example, simulating a thunderstorm in a laboratory, or simulating a country's economy on a computer.

Example

Flight schools use computer programs to simulate emergency landings for trainee pilots.

simulate + scenario for training purposes

Élise's research team simulated the climate of ancient Mars using a supercomputer.

Common collocations
  • simulate a system
  • simulate a process
  • simulate conditions
  • simulate an environment
  • simulate a scenario
Synonyms
  • model

    more technical, often implies mathematical or computational representation

  • replicate

    suggests recreating an exact copy of a process or system

  • emulate

    focuses on matching performance or behaviour, not necessarily appearance

Grammar Patterns

simulate + noun (a system, a process, conditions)

be simulated + prepositional phrase

Usage Note

The subject is usually a researcher, engineer, designer, or organization. The passive form ('the flight conditions were simulated') is common in scientific and technical writing. Do not confuse with 'imitate,' which focuses on copying appearance or sound rather than recreating a full system.

Common Mistakes

The program simulates like a real flight environment.
The program simulates a real flight environment.
simulate is transitive; do not add the preposition 'like.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

In technical and academic contexts, all four words involve creating a representation of something real, but they differ in scope and focus. 'Simulate' is the broadest: it recreates a system's behaviour, often including its visual, physical, or dynamic aspects — for example, simulating a flight, an earthquake, or a market. 'Model' is more mathematical or conceptual: you model a relationship or a process using equations or data, not necessarily with visual output. 'Replicate' demands a close, often exact copy of the original conditions, as in 'replicate the results of a study.' 'Emulate' focuses on matching a specific function or performance level, especially in computing ('software that emulates an older operating system'). If you want to describe recreating a whole experience for training, choose 'simulate'; if you are building equations to predict an outcome, choose 'model'; if you are exactly reproducing a prior experiment, choose 'replicate'; and if you are copying a device's functionality, choose 'emulate.'

simulate ↗model ↗replicate ↗emulate

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • simulate the effects of
  • simulate the experience of
  • simulate the behaviour of
  • simulate conditions similar to

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Simulate entered English in the mid-15th century directly from Latin 'simulare', meaning 'to copy, represent, or imitate.' The Latin root 'similis' means 'like, resembling' — the same root that gives us 'similar' and 'simile.' The word originally carried a strong sense of deception (copying in order to mislead), which survives in sense 1. From the mid-20th century onward, with the rise of computers and flight training, sense 2 developed as a neutral, technical meaning without any implication of deceit.