as in depiction
a vivid representation in words of someone or something
his novel presents a moving portrayal of a woman searching for personal fulfillment and happiness
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portrayal
Lathan’s portrayal of Monica Wright remains one of cinema’s most influential depictions of Black female athletes.
—
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 2 Feb. 2026
Hayes most recently won the leading actor Tony in 2023 for his portrayal of American pianist and composer Oscar Levant Good Night, Oscar.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
The film earned over $300 million at the box office, his portrayal of former NFL player Michael Oher gained praise while Bullock won Best Actress at the Oscars for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
He is widely known for his portrayal of Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning film.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portrayal
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 2 Feb. 2026
Hayes most recently won the leading actor Tony in 2023 for his portrayal of American pianist and composer Oscar Levant Good Night, Oscar.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
The film earned over $300 million at the box office, his portrayal of former NFL player Michael Oher gained praise while Bullock won Best Actress at the Oscars for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
He is widely known for his portrayal of Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning film.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portrayal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayal
Noun
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Using a combination of AI classification and human review, researchers estimated that about 65 percent of all images were sexualized depictions of people, and a small but significant fraction involved children.—
The AI Insider,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
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But that depiction was picked apart by a vast array of online onlookers, from law enforcement experts to ordinary Instagram users, some of whom replayed the videos frame by frame and zoomed in to show the episode in frightening detail.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In the event description, organizers said the rally will be peaceful and attendees should expect a heavy security presence.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
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Local educators now see providing security details for their students as part of their job description.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Regardless, this is a solid biography portrait with enough diaristic candor to compel a relisten to her greatest hits, in life and music.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2026
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The walls are adorned with black and white portraits of cinematic icons by Studio Harcourt and brass plaques that indicate their favorite tables.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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His picture topped newspapers across the country under headlines announcing that the killer had surrendered.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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When the financial picture feels fragmented (too many reports, too much noise, not enough forward-looking insight), leaders hesitate.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portrayal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayal. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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