1. past tense of personate; to pretend to be someone else, especially for fraudulent purposes
Usage: formal; legal
2. past tense of personate; to represent or portray a character in a play or performance
Usage: theatrical; archaic

Examples

• The criminal personated a police officer to gain entry to the building.
• She was charged with having personated a government official.
• The actor personated the king with great skill in the historical drama.
• He personated his deceased brother to claim the inheritance fraudulently.
• The witness testified that the defendant had personated a doctor.
• In the old play, she personated the role of a noble lady.