depiction

noun

de·​pic·​tion di-ˈpik-shən How to pronounce depiction (audio)
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

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.
However, using data to retrofit a narrative or provide a sensationalist depiction of a player or team’s performance after three games is filled with flaws. Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025 In the context of some not-so-nice fan interactions, Cooke recalls being on the receiving end of some bold comments, including personal takes about her depiction of Alicent and the character as a whole. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025 Although Romano rightly considered her depictions of dreams to be realistic, the book itself, with its uncanny, fragmented narratives, could not have been more distinct from the neorealist literature that was in vogue at the time. Brian Robert Moore september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025 Both offer distinctive depictions of minority experiences in America, and in the process, ask probing questions about how media affects our perceptions of each other. Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Depiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depiction. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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