as in depiction
a vivid representation in words of someone or something
his novel presents a moving portrayal of a woman searching for personal fulfillment and happiness
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Recent Examples of portrayal
For his portrayal of Jacob, Yeun was also nominated for a Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice, and Independent Spirt Award.
—
Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026
Sickert is showcased here for both his impressionistic instincts and his portrayal of previously taboo art subjects such as prostitutes and the impoverished.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Others featured in the show have similarly criticized their portrayals.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
The Oscar-winning actor Gregory Peck, perhaps best known for his dignified portrayal of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, originally hails from the San Diego area.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portrayal
Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026
Sickert is showcased here for both his impressionistic instincts and his portrayal of previously taboo art subjects such as prostitutes and the impoverished.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Others featured in the show have similarly criticized their portrayals.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
The Oscar-winning actor Gregory Peck, perhaps best known for his dignified portrayal of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, originally hails from the San Diego area.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portrayal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayal
Noun
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Jackson’s settlement with the Chandler family turned out to include an agreement that forbade the estate to participate in depictions of the events around Chandler’s allegation.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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These scenes had to be removed after attorneys for the Jackson estate realized there was a clause in the settlement that blocked the depiction or mention of Chandler in any movie.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Police were unable to provide a detailed description of the suspects, but described them as two African American men between 20 and 30 years of age.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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The booster launched Northrop Grumman's previous cargo flight, NG-23, NASA's Crew-11 astronaut flight, the Axiom Space Ax-4 astronaut flight and three Starlink missions, according to a SpaceX description.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Cohen has also been working on a documentary about Leaf, as well as a tender short film called Robert and June (and all the time in the world), a dual portrait of Leaf and her husband, the photographer and filmmaker Robert Frank.—
Nicole Rudick,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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His portrait was hung up on the city’s honor board.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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By putting religious and profane art together—a picture of Christ on one wall and Apollo on another, both equalized in their prettiness—Raphael triggered centuries of decadence.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The cost of data collection is often framed in terms of hardware or labor, but this view misses the larger picture.—
Ni Tao,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portrayal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayal. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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