Pretend to be someone you are not; sometimes with fraudulent intentions.

synonyms: impersonate, pose.

Roget 599: act, play, perform; put on the stage; personate etc. 554; mimic etc. (imitate) 19; enact; play a part, act a part, go through a part, perform a part; rehearse, spout, gag, rant; strut and fret one's hour upon a stage;" tread the boards, tread the stage; come out; star it.    ... show more

Roget 19: imitate, copy, mirror, reflect, reproduce, repeat; do like, echo, reecho, catch; transcribe; match, parallel.    mock, take off, mimic, ape, simulate, impersonate, personate; act etc. (drama) 599; represent etc. 554; counterfeit, parody, travesty, caricature, lampoon, burlesque.    follow in the steps of, tread in the steps, follow in the footsteps of, follow in the wake of; take pattern by; follow suit, follow the example of; walk in the shoes of, take a leaf out of another's book, strike in with, follow suit; take after, model after; emulate.    ... show more

Attribute human qualities to something:
— The Greeks personated their gods ridiculous.

synonym: personify.

Roget 554: represent, delineate; depict, depicture^†; portray; take a likeness, catch a likeness etc. n.; hit off, photograph, daguerreotype; snapshot; figure, shadow forth, shadow out; adumbrate; body forth; describe etc. 594; trace, copy; mold.    dress up; illustrate, symbolize.    paint etc. 556; carve etc. 557; engrave etc. 558.    personate, personify; impersonate; assume a character; pose as; act; play etc. (drama) 599; mimic etc. (imitate) 19; hold the mirror up to nature.    ... show more