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

The late Vermont artist Stephen Huneck made works that are instantly recognizable—bright, accessible, folky depictions of dogs enjoying themselves.

—James Heflin

By 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

Synonyms of depiction

• description
• portrait
• portrayal
• picture

Examples 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

Any depiction of gay and transgender people that portrays them in a positive or even neutral light has been banned ever since. —ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026

In what has become something of a muse for many of the president’s artistic supporters, there are at least three other depictions of the fist-pumping scene in the White House. —New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026

But there’s real happiness there, too, particularly in the depiction of the friendship between Jude and Evan. —Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026

Praised for its vibrant and modern depiction of Black love, the series has amassed a devoted global readership. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for depiction

• addiction
• affliction
• constriction
• conviction
• eviction
• infliction
• nonfiction
• prediction
• restriction
• antifriction
• benediction
• contradiction