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
In the Repicturing Rural playbook, Getty Images and Land O’Lakes recommend that depictions of work in rural areas expand beyond agriculture and into environments like offices, shops, community spaces and the home.
—William Jones, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
But despite the production’s accomplished period physical trappings, there’s an air of very 21st-century thinking here — particularly in depictions of gender-blur and adult same-sex love within the Arab world — that feels more like wish-fulfillment than the film is prepared to acknowledge.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Its depictions of dancing devils and witches’ sabbaths are supposed to scare viewers straight, but writer-director Benjamin Christensen is also sympathetic towards the plight of medieval women persecuted for witchcraft.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
And then there are the satiric quips, the candid carnality, and the love-it-or-leave-it depiction of life in Los Angeles.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
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.
William Jones, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
But despite the production’s accomplished period physical trappings, there’s an air of very 21st-century thinking here — particularly in depictions of gender-blur and adult same-sex love within the Arab world — that feels more like wish-fulfillment than the film is prepared to acknowledge.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Its depictions of dancing devils and witches’ sabbaths are supposed to scare viewers straight, but writer-director Benjamin Christensen is also sympathetic towards the plight of medieval women persecuted for witchcraft.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
And then there are the satiric quips, the candid carnality, and the love-it-or-leave-it depiction of life in Los Angeles.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for depiction
Cite this Entry
“Depiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depiction. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share