portray

verb

por·​tray pȯr-ˈtrā 

pər-

portrayed; portraying; portrays

transitive verb

1

: to make a picture of : depict

2

a

: to describe in a particular way

The article portrayed the president as confident.

b

: to play the role of : enact

portrays the hero in the film

portrayer noun

Synonyms of portray

• describe
• depict

Examples of portray in a Sentence

The White House has portrayed the President as deeply conflicted over the matter.

The lawyer portrayed his client as a victim of child abuse.

He portrayed himself as a victim.

The painting portrays the queen in a purple robe.

Laurence Olivier portrayed Hamlet beautifully.

Recent Examples on the Web

The two agreed to meet at Beverly Park, a neighborhood park on Hubbard Street in Livonia, and walk from there to the home of the teenager the officer was portraying, since the parents would be at work. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

In the landmark 1961 Broadway production, those roles were portrayed by, respectively, Anne Jackson, Zero Mostel and Eli Wallach. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026

Highlights of the production will include a lifelike puppet portraying Toto, eight dancers taking flight (the most of any KC Ballet production) and ruby slippers adorned with 288 jewels. — Dan Kelly october 15, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

McGregor will portray protagonist Violet Sorrengail, with Sakraya taking on the role of Xaden Riorson. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English portraien, purtrayen, purtreyen "to draw, paint, depict, decorate, form a mental image of," borrowed from Anglo-French purtraire "to represent (in drawing, painting, etc.), depict, decorate, plan" (also continental Old French pourtraire), from pur-, pour-, por-, prefix marking completion of an action (going back to Latin prō-, prefix denoting forward movement) + traire "to drag, pull, draw out, launch, shoot, trace, represent," going back to Latin trahere "to drag, draw, take along" — more at pro- entry 2, abstract entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for portray

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• assez
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway

Kids Definition

portray

verb

por·​tray pōr-ˈtrā 

pȯr-

1

: to make a portrait of

2

a

: to describe in words

b

: to play the role of

portrayer noun