1
as in to describe
to give a representation or account of in words
the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to depict
to present a picture of
a landscape that portrays the scenery near the town where the painter grew up
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to play
to present a portrayal or performance of
gained fame portraying Susan B. Anthony in a one-woman show
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of portray
Roma and Milan’s owners have been portrayed as not culturally assimilating with calcio.
—
James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The character had previously been portrayed by Catherine Burns, Amy Levitt and Jane Alice Brandon.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Harmon was the fifth actress to portray Cathy on Agnes Nixon’s One Life to Live, following Catherine Burns, Amy Levitt, Jane Alice Brandon and Dorrie Kavanaugh.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
Harris Dickenson, Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn and Barry Keoghan will portray John Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison and Starr, respectively.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for portray
James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The character had previously been portrayed by Catherine Burns, Amy Levitt and Jane Alice Brandon.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Harmon was the fifth actress to portray Cathy on Agnes Nixon’s One Life to Live, following Catherine Burns, Amy Levitt, Jane Alice Brandon and Dorrie Kavanaugh.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
Harris Dickenson, Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn and Barry Keoghan will portray John Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison and Starr, respectively.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for portray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portray
Verb
-
Maviglio described the ballot measure as a simple repeal of Proposition 14, and said he was inspired by the governor’s race.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Doctors there describe them like hotel rooms, designed with en-suite bathrooms, exercise equipment, food delivery and Wi-Fi for patients staying for long periods.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
In a statement Sunday, airport CEO Phil Washington characterized the person who was killed as a trespasser.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
-
These starburst regions are characterized by exceptionally high rates of star formation, making M77 a dynamic and evolving galaxy.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The 56-year-old former TV personality denied that, telling Vogue the mermaid-like sculpture is meant to depict Freyja, the Norse goddess of love, fertility, war and gold.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Junkanoo revelry is dedicated to the dead, and here Munroe commemorates Beadle through a series of paintings depicting a memorial procession based on photographs by the Bahamian photographer Jackson Petit, as well as through Beadle’s material legacy.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Williamsburg would play a prominent role in the American Revolution as the seat of Virginia's government until 1780 (when the capital was changed to Richmond).—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
Parting ways with Morey was ultimately not an easy decision for the 76ers, but Philadelphia’s inability to take the next step in a constantly changing East played a significant role in the organization’s direction.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Any changes to the policy will probably draw strong challenges from within the LAPD and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the powerful union that represents the city’s rank-and-file officers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
Instead, this latest effort represents the incremental progress essential to experimental science, where errors and uncertainties are identified and quantified, and future generations of scientists can build upon it.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
To put it mildly, Bain didn’t perform like a rookie.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 May 2026
-
Post-cycling analysis to evaluate condition The researchers also performed post-cycling analysis after 50 cycles, using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to evaluate the condition of the electrodes.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
At the time, people interpreted Harry’s comment as a dig at his brother William and Kate Middleton, who had welcomed Prince Louis a year before the comments.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
11 May 2026
-
The jazz quartet interprets the work of Thelonious Monk, expanding classic compositions into absorbing experimental journeys that stretch beyond free jazz.—
Levi Dayan,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Should Congress do more to hold the president accountable?—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Wins and losses in this league for starters are highly dependent on a lot of other guys doing their jobs as well.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portray. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
