Definition of portrayal
1 : the act or process or an instance of portraying : representation
2 : portrait
Explore M-W
Examples of portrayal in a Sentence
his novel presents a moving portrayal of a woman searching for personal fulfillment and happiness
Recent Examples of portrayal from the Web
-
The portrayal of an eating disorder on film is certainly a tricky task (and perhaps that’s why there are so little examples out there).
-
The villain in this film is Vulture, in an excellent portrayal by actor Michael Keaton.
-
Nelsan was a longtime member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood.
-
Though the character did not survive in the books, Ellis's memorable portrayal of Lafayette kept him in the series, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
-
McKean’s portrayal makes Chuck’s humiliation tragic, and deeply moving.
-
The actress, who turns 101 years old tomorrow, filed a complaint with the Los Angeles County Superior Court suing both the network and Ryan Murphy Productions for her portrayal in the show.
-
Ricardo Herrera’s portrayal of Diego Rivera was both seamless and larger-than-life.
-
From oddly on-point haircut to impossibly exciting stagecraft, 1984 and Sturridge’s portrayal of a radicalized, rebellious Winston Smith, strikes a disturbing—and yes, intense—chord.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'portrayal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of portrayal
1843
PORTRAYAL Defined for English Language Learners
portrayal
playDefinition of portrayal for English Language Learners
-
: the act of showing or describing someone or something especially in a painting, book, etc.
-
: the way in which an actor plays a character
PORTRAYAL Defined for Kids
portrayal
playDefinition of portrayal for Students
: the act or result of showing in a portrait or describing in words or images The movie is an accurate portrayal of her life.
Learn More about portrayal
-
See words that rhyme with portrayal Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for portrayal Spanish Central: Translation of portrayal Nglish: Translation of portrayal for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of portrayal for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up portrayal? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!