plural representations
1
: a person or group that speaks or acts for or in support of another person or group
He had no legal representation [=he did not have a lawyer] during the trial.
Each state has equal representation in the Senate.
2
: something (such as a picture or symbol) that stands for something else
The letters of the alphabet are representations of sounds.
3
: a painting, sculpture, etc., that is created to look like a particular thing or person
carved representations of flowers
4
: the act of presenting or describing a person or thing in a particular way
the film's heroic representation of America
We discussed the representation of women in Jane Austen's novels.
5
formal
a
: a statement made to influence the opinions or actions of others
Her representation of the situation was very confusing.
He was accused of making false representations.
b
chiefly British
: a formal and official complaint about something
Our ambassador has made representations to their government.
Cite this Entry
“Representation.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/representation. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.
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