Definitions Related words Mentions Lyrics History Colors (New!)

Literary notes about simulate (AI summary)

The term "simulate" in literature is often used to denote an act of imitation that falls short of true authenticity, suggesting a representation that is not entirely genuine or enduring. For instance, voices are portrayed as empty echoes—a mere opening of mouths to simulate sounds rather than to express actual communication [1]—while physical gestures are compared to withering branches merely arranged to simulate life [2]. At a deeper level, simulation is seen as a substitute for genuine qualities; the replication of life or strength, for example, is invariably temporary and can be a source of weakness [3, 4]. In other contexts, simulation serves a more strategic purpose, such as feigning an accident to mislead observers [5] or even adopting a false identity to access forbidden spaces [6]. The nuance of simulation extends to sensory and behavioral realms as well, where replacements may only superficially resemble the original in appearance or taste [7], and a thoughtful act may be nothing more than a mimicry intended to deceive [8]. Even in classical observations, simulation is understood as a subtle act—one that might mask vulnerability, such as feigning blindness to avoid danger [9].
  1. “The people who chat resemble mutes who merely open their mouths to simulate sounds, so afraid are they that their voices might escape.
    — from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant
  2. He may tack on some movements, but they will look like the wilted branches nailed to a tree to simulate life.
    — from The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie and J. Berg Esenwein
  3. We cannot imitate life, we cannot simulate strength for long, nay, what is more, a mere imitation is a source of weakness.
    — from Nationalism by Rabindranath Tagore
  4. When connected, they simulate reflective thought; indeed, they usually occur in minds of logical capacity.
    — from How We Think by John Dewey
  5. So he determined to have the wood cut down and to simulate an accident.
    — from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant
  6. So skilful was he that he could even simulate the form of the master of a house and go freely into the women’s quarters.
    — from Korean folk tales : by Pang Im and Yuk Yi
  7. The substances used to replace it are mostly like it only in appearance, and barely simulate it in taste.
    — from All About Coffee by William H. Ukers
  8. The same observations are to be made in regard to dishonest witnesses who, when pressed to think hard, only simulate doing so.
    — from Criminal Psychology: A Manual for Judges, Practitioners, and Students by Hans Gross
  9. Shaftesbury, Characteristics , i., 153.] 117.—The most subtle of our acts is to simulate blindness for snares that we know are set for us.
    — from Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims by François duc de La Rochefoucauld

More usage examples

Also see: Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, BlueSky


Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Threepeat Redux