1
as in to describe
to give a representation or account of in words
the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
traditionally, European authors portrayed the natives as wise and noble
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3
as in to depict
to present a picture of
a landscape that portrays the scenery near the town where the painter grew up
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4
as in to play
to present a portrayal or performance of
gained fame portraying Susan B. Anthony in a one-woman show
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portray
Stevens portrays temperamental Birham, who, much like his father Laban, prefers fun over tending the flock.
—
Denise Petski, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
Ronan would portray Linda McCartney, née the American photographer and musician Linda Eastman who died of cancer in 1998.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2025
As Hunnam mentioned, the show portrays Ed’s mental health struggles as an undiagnosed schizophrenic.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025
Reenactors portraying British sentries were bum-rushed by a swarm of whooping Green Mountain Boys.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portray
Denise Petski, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
Ronan would portray Linda McCartney, née the American photographer and musician Linda Eastman who died of cancer in 1998.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2025
As Hunnam mentioned, the show portrays Ed’s mental health struggles as an undiagnosed schizophrenic.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025
Reenactors portraying British sentries were bum-rushed by a swarm of whooping Green Mountain Boys.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portray
Verb
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Rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan used another adjective to describe Dowdle’s running style.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Police described Taylor as a Black male who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The administration has also called out the arrest of Sortor, a 27-year-old conservative influencer, amid protests outside the ICE facility in Portland during what police characterized as a fight.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
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This species, found in waterholes surrounded by bamboo forests, is characterized by its rough skin and reddish-orange markings.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Joist ceilings are painted white, and wallpaper depicting pink roses is stretched across a wall.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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Chef Amosu shared his inspiration for this momentous occasion and why having ownership of narratives that depict the cultures of Africa matters.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Essence,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Trump played a role of his own in applying pressure.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 Oct. 2025
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Pratt plays Detective Chris Raven, a man who programmed an artificial intelligence called Mercy, which Los Angeles courts are using to determine guilt.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The extended line aims to give fans elevated options to represent their teams.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Oct. 2025
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Neighbors for a Better San Diego, a group that represents mostly single-family homeowners and opposes nearby higher-density development, criticized the report for not tracking how many homes get demolished to make way for new projects.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Brewers ranked a more respectable 12th in slugging percentage, and some of their most dynamic hitters were either not performing or not yet on the team early in the season.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Swift performed an acoustic version of her song, invoking tears.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Fireworks were also a story this season, interpreted as embroideries or opulent crystal decorations.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
8 Oct. 2025
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Some experts interpret this narrative to mean that a man is only valued when his sensitive, soft, and compassionate side is suppressed.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Another big sales behemoth, Walmart also does quite a bit to maintain discounts competitive with Prime Day deals across all categories.—
Melissa Knific,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Oct. 2025
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Linda also drags her daughter to a clinic for regular treatments, none of which seem to do any good.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portray. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
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