depiction

noun

de·​pic·​tion di-ˈpik-shən How to pronounce depiction (audio)
dē-
plural depictions
Synonyms of depictionnext
: 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

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
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.
According to Jarvis, those long hours are one of the show's more realistic depictions of ranch life, particularly during the summer months when daylight stretches well into the evening. Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026 This is one of those shows where the depiction of a job and the result of that job are basically the same thing. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026 Companies must be prepared to show supporting documentation that proves their depictions are accurate or could become accurate based on a real intent to use. Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 4 June 2026 By one account, Lechuga explains, Wells said his depiction of Martians invading Victorian England was inspired by European colonization of the Aboriginal Tasmanians; by another, the author billed it as a warning about the need to strengthen England’s military capabilities. Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for depiction

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depiction was in 1688

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depiction. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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