plural copies
1
: an imitation, transcript, or reproduction of an original work (such as a letter, a painting, a table, or a dress)
2
: one of a series of especially mechanical reproductions of an original impression
also
: an individual example of such a reproduction
3
archaic
: something to be imitated : model
4
a
: matter to be set especially for printing
b
: something considered printable or newsworthy
—used without an article
remarks that make good copy—
Norman Cousins
Norman Cousins
c
: text especially of an advertisement
5
: duplicate sense 1a
a copy of a computer file
a copy of a gene
copied; copying; copies
1
: to make a copy or duplicate of
copy a document
Please copy and paste the link into your browser.
For players who are holdovers from last year's ballot, I just copied and pasted what I wrote a year ago.—Dave Cameron
Dave Cameron2
: to model oneself on
3
in radio/military communications
: to acknowledge receipt of (a message)
The operator of the Titanic was busy figuring his accounts and did not bother to copy the message. A little later in the afternoon, another ship named the Baltic called the Titanic to tell her about icebergs that were in her way.—Rev. Robert P. Lawrence
Rev. Robert P. Lawrence1
: to make a copy
2
: to undergo copying
the map did not copy well
3
in radio/military communications
: to acknowledge receipt and understanding of a message
"Block the road with your car. Take no other action. … No resistance, do you copy? Over."—Stephen King
Stephen KingSynonyms
Examples of copy in a Sentence
Noun
The novel has sold more than a million copies.
She got a job writing advertising copy.
All copy must be submitted by 5 p.m.
Verb
She copied the design on a piece of paper.
Copy the file to your hard drive.
The bills are designed to prevent copying by counterfeiters.
We caught him copying the answers out of the book.
We caught him copying out of the book.
The speech was copied word for word.
His music was copied widely.
Their competitors soon copied the idea.
Recent Examples on the WebChristopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The Fund expects to mail subscription certificates evidencing the Rights and a copy of the prospectus for the Offer to Record Date Stockholders within the United States shortly following the Record Date.
—Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2024
On a coffee table were bowls of fresh fruit and jelly beans, and a copy of that morning’s Times.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Instead of including their signatures, voters need to provide a drivers license number, a partial Social Security number, or a copy of their photo identification.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
Timmy and Tommy’s Aloha Edition of the Nintendo Switch Lite, which features Animal Crossing’s signature leaf design printed on the back and a copy of New Horizons, is on sale at Walmart for $179 ($20 off).
—Brandon Widder, The Verge, 6 Apr. 2024
Of those 100 surviving copies, 78 are in good enough condition to be sold or auctioned, according to CGC.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Billboard publishes this list to show which titles are actually selling the most copies in America.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Awesome Tapes From Africa has become much more, though: a record label, an online store selling physical copies to benefit the artists that made them and a way for Shimkovitz to spread the joy that the music brings through concerts and DJ nights.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Ryan Bradley MacLeod Andrews Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The formula is exclusive to Sania’s Brow Bar, but other brands have since copied her angled pencil tip.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
But airlines do tend to copy each other in these areas: When one carrier raises fees, others generally follow in a domino effect—like travelers saw happen with baggage fees in early March.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2024
At the time, Cash interrupted his interview complaining about her brother copying her.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 23 Mar. 2024
The essence of memes consist of any text (images, video, and the like) that is copied and spread from person to person, typically with the accelerated aid of the internet.
—Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
And fraudsters can copy and print multiple washed checks for future use or to sell to other criminals.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 28 Mar. 2024
Advocates for pro-natal policies say the U.S. could copy countries that invest more in childbearing since society has a collective interest in supporting parents, says Karen Guzzo, director of the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina.
—Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2024
What’s notable is that players can copy a blueprint of their base and rebuild it in another part of the world.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
Noun
His home was filled with American books and copies of the New Yorker.
—Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The Fund expects to mail subscription certificates evidencing the Rights and a copy of the prospectus for the Offer to Record Date Stockholders within the United States shortly following the Record Date.
—Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2024
On a coffee table were bowls of fresh fruit and jelly beans, and a copy of that morning’s Times.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Instead of including their signatures, voters need to provide a drivers license number, a partial Social Security number, or a copy of their photo identification.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
Timmy and Tommy’s Aloha Edition of the Nintendo Switch Lite, which features Animal Crossing’s signature leaf design printed on the back and a copy of New Horizons, is on sale at Walmart for $179 ($20 off).
—Brandon Widder, The Verge, 6 Apr. 2024
Of those 100 surviving copies, 78 are in good enough condition to be sold or auctioned, according to CGC.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Billboard publishes this list to show which titles are actually selling the most copies in America.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Awesome Tapes From Africa has become much more, though: a record label, an online store selling physical copies to benefit the artists that made them and a way for Shimkovitz to spread the joy that the music brings through concerts and DJ nights.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Verb
Someone might copy Speer’s rig down to the last knob setting, and play his guitar melodies note for note, but without Ochoa and Johnson playing, too, the Khruangbin sound cannot be duplicated.
—Ryan Bradley MacLeod Andrews Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The formula is exclusive to Sania’s Brow Bar, but other brands have since copied her angled pencil tip.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
But airlines do tend to copy each other in these areas: When one carrier raises fees, others generally follow in a domino effect—like travelers saw happen with baggage fees in early March.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2024
At the time, Cash interrupted his interview complaining about her brother copying her.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 23 Mar. 2024
The essence of memes consist of any text (images, video, and the like) that is copied and spread from person to person, typically with the accelerated aid of the internet.
—Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
And fraudsters can copy and print multiple washed checks for future use or to sell to other criminals.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 28 Mar. 2024
Advocates for pro-natal policies say the U.S. could copy countries that invest more in childbearing since society has a collective interest in supporting parents, says Karen Guzzo, director of the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina.
—Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2024
What’s notable is that players can copy a blueprint of their base and rebuild it in another part of the world.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'copy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Copy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copy. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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