simulation

simulation — noun

1. a copy of real events, conditions, or processes, created so that people can prac

1.nounB2
Definition

a copy of real events, conditions, or processes, created so that people can practise, learn, or study without being in the actual situation

Example

Yumi practised emergency landings using a flight simulation app on her tablet.

uncountable: [type] simulation + app

The law students ran a simulation of a court trial to practise arguing a case.

countable: simulation of [scenario]

Common collocations
  • run a simulation
  • conduct a simulation
  • flight simulation
  • computer simulation
  • combat simulation
  • driving simulation
Synonyms
  • model

    a simpler version of a system or process; 'simulation' emphasises the running or operating of the model over time

  • mock-up

    a physical, often full-size copy of something, used for testing or demonstration; more concrete than 'simulation'

  • imitation

    copying how something looks or behaves; 'simulation' focuses on functional reproduction, not appearance

Antonyms
  • reality

    the actual situation, not a copy

Grammar Patterns

simulation of + [scenario/event]

run/conduct a simulation

Common Mistakes

The flight simulation was a lie.
The flight simulation was very realistic.
'simulation' in the training sense is a neutral technical term, not a deception.

2. in sports, especially football, the practice of intentionally falling or stumbli

2.nounB2
Definition

in sports, especially football, the practice of intentionally falling or stumbling during a match to create the false impression that an opponent broke the rules, done to unfairly gain a free kick or penalty; more broadly, any deliberate act of presenting something false as if it were real, especially to gain an advantage

Example

The referee booked Lucas for simulation after he fell without being touched.

football rule: booked for simulation

Valentina's simulation of a stomach ache failed when her mother sent her straight to school.

general pretense: simulation of [symptom]

Common collocations
  • yellow card for simulation
  • booked for simulation
  • accusation of simulation
  • obvious simulation
Synonyms
  • diving

    informal football term for the same act; more common in fan commentary than 'simulation'

  • feigning

    pretending to be affected by something; broader and more literary than 'simulation'

  • pretence

    a general word for making something appear real when it is not; less formal than 'simulation'

Antonyms
  • honesty

    truthful behaviour, the opposite of pretence

Grammar Patterns

simulation of + [illness/injury/feeling]

card/penalty for simulation

Usage Note

The football sense is the official FIFA term for what fans often call 'diving' and is used mainly in formal sports reporting and rule enforcement. The more general sense of 'pretending' is a formal term that carries a negative judgment of dishonesty.

Common Mistakes

The referee gave him a yellow card for a simulation.
The referee gave him a yellow card for simulation.
uncountable when referring to the act itself in football contexts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe copies of real things, but they differ in purpose and form. A 'model' is a simplified representation of a system — often mathematical or physical — used to understand how it works ('a climate model'). A 'mock-up' is a full-size physical copy built for testing or demonstration, especially in design or manufacturing ('a mock-up of the aircraft cabin'). 'Imitation' focuses on copying appearance or behaviour, often for learning or entertainment ('an imitation of a celebrity's voice'). A 'replica' is an exact copy of an object, typically made to look identical to the original ('a replica of a Ming dynasty vase'). 'Simulation' differs by emphasising the process or activity of reproducing real conditions over time, especially for training or study purposes. For example, pilots use a flight simulation (not a 'mock-up' or 'replica') because it re-creates the experience of flying; but a physical model of the cockpit used for switch-layout training would be a 'mock-up'.

model ↗mock-upimitation ↗replica ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • acts of simulation
  • the use of simulation

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word comes from Latin 'simulatio', meaning 'pretence' or 'feigning', which is formed from 'simulare' (to imitate or copy) and ultimately from 'similis' (like or similar). It passed through Old French 'simulation' into English around the 1300s, originally carrying the negative meaning of false pretence. From the mid-1900s, a second meaning developed with the rise of technology — creating a functional copy of a real process for training or study. The football sense of 'diving' emerged in the late 1900s as the official term in the sport's rulebook.