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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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
The 1995 film version of this exchange between Charlotte and Lizzy, in which the former is portrayed cooly by the unflappable Lucy Scott, challenges the audience’s ability to empathize with Charlotte’s pragmatism, and seems to encourage us to side with Elizabeth’s dismay.
—
Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
In the television series, Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will take on the role of Ron Weasley.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Mar. 2026
Even as foreign textbooks are banned and news broadcasts portray Western societies as gun-toting hellscapes, Chinese universities are hiring Greco-Roman classicists.
—Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
So the scientific jury is out on how Hoppers portrays consciousness as transferrable.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portray
Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
In the television series, Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will take on the role of Ron Weasley.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Mar. 2026
Even as foreign textbooks are banned and news broadcasts portray Western societies as gun-toting hellscapes, Chinese universities are hiring Greco-Roman classicists.
—Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
So the scientific jury is out on how Hoppers portrays consciousness as transferrable.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portray
Verb
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So too is a work ethic peers often describe as relentless, paired with a preternatural optimism that keeps him pushing through setbacks.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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HostArmada's dedicated options are managed cloud servers, unlike the bare-metal hardware previously described.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For the first few years of its implementation, the NIL era has been mostly characterized by institutions and sponsors falling all over themselves to help create a new class of multi-millionaires – even before most of them are of legal drinking age.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Analysts have broadly characterized Mojtaba as a powerful figure with limited public and international profiles, operating somewhat behind the scenes but enjoying major influence.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One passage depicts the Bonnie-and-Clyde-like notoriety of Frank and the Bride, leading ordinary women to adopt her wild hairdo and goth makeup (including what are evidently meant to be burns on her mouth and tongue from all that electricity).—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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The inlay murals are particularly noteworthy, evoking chinoiserie without actually depicting anything too Orientalist.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The conception meant that the show would need multiple actors playing Scarpetta, with one as the lead of the series.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Phillips also played a complete season in 2025 after seeing two separate significant injuries end his seasons in 2023 (Achilles) and 2024 (ACL).—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His law firm represents energy clients.—
William P. Barr,
Washington Post,
12 Mar. 2026
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Ideas expressed in the piece Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket represent a fundamentally problematic development that prioritizes profit over social responsibility.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lancaster cheerleaders perform along the baseline during a second half timeout of the Tigers' game against Austin Westlake.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
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House Bill 1620 and Senate Bill 991 would make clear that when state or local law authorizes an inspector general to access records, and those records are necessary to perform official responsibilities, the records custodian must allow inspection.—
Vaughn Stewart,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Equipped with this context, a user can disregard that content or interpret it from a new vantage.—
Connie Etemadi,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
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Her perspective is shaped by her decades of experience and an ability to interpret how universities adjust to changing priorities.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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So, this administration is doing it all backwards.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Experiencing that life cycle of knowing where my food comes from and watching my uncles do the butchering and then eating it the same day through slow roasting was really impactful for me as a kid.—
Claire Salinda,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portray. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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