depiction
noun
de·pic·tion
di-ˈpik-shən 
dē-
plural depictions
: a representation in words or images of someone or something
The book is fascinating in its depiction of the country's early history.
The first part of the book … is a depiction of the nearly lost world of a North American hunter-gatherer community.—
Timothy Egan
Timothy EganThe late Vermont artist Stephen Huneck made works that are instantly recognizable—bright, accessible, folky depictions of dogs enjoying themselves.—James Heflin
James HeflinBy comparison with the depiction of domesticity in such 1950s staples as The Donna Reed Show and Ozzie and Harriet, the portrait of family life on The Dick Van Dyke Show, the emblematic sitcom of the early 1960s, seemed staggering in its sheer smartness and casual elegance.—Bruce Bawer
Bruce BawerExamples of depiction in a Sentence
the set piece of the novel is a depiction of the battle that makes readers feel like they were there
Recent Examples on the Web
An exhibition of Paul Klee’s late works focuses on his depictions of the atmosphere of violence and intimidation in Germany after the Nazis came to power.
—The New York Review of Books, 23 May 2026
Its bedrock appeal has always been its depiction of a more or less happy family struggling to get by while running a Jersey Shore burger joint.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 22 May 2026
At a time when audiences are already fatigued by the continual depictions of metahuman supers who wrestle with whether to remain anonymous or use their powers for good, this story is hardly unique.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 22 May 2026
Technological capability alone isn’t enough to sway the masses into accepting humanoid robots on the street, especially those influenced by Hollywood depictions of killer robots in films like The Terminator.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for depiction
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
The New York Review of Books, 23 May 2026
Its bedrock appeal has always been its depiction of a more or less happy family struggling to get by while running a Jersey Shore burger joint.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 22 May 2026
At a time when audiences are already fatigued by the continual depictions of metahuman supers who wrestle with whether to remain anonymous or use their powers for good, this story is hardly unique.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 22 May 2026
Technological capability alone isn’t enough to sway the masses into accepting humanoid robots on the street, especially those influenced by Hollywood depictions of killer robots in films like The Terminator.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for depiction
Cite this Entry
“Depiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depiction. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
