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
As a parent who’s lost two sons, did Cave identify with Edgerton’s portrayal of a father in mourning?
—
Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The actor and musician is widely known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer in 24, winning a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe award for his starring role in the Fox series.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
He was nominated for an Olivier Award for his portrayal.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
Hamnet is a story of grief and loss in Shakespeare’s life; Jessie Buckley won best actress for her portrayal of of Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portrayal
Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The actor and musician is widely known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer in 24, winning a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe award for his starring role in the Fox series.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
He was nominated for an Olivier Award for his portrayal.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
Hamnet is a story of grief and loss in Shakespeare’s life; Jessie Buckley won best actress for her portrayal of of Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portrayal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayal
Noun
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The girls’ depictions also owes a debt to the wily, precocious protagonists of children’s literature, from the perpetually home-alone Pippi Longstocking to those eccentric enrollees at Louis Sachar’s Wayside School series.—
Niela Orr,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
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Chalamet triumphed over George Clooney (Jay Kelly), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Lee Byung-hun (No Other Choice) and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia) with his depiction of table tennis star Marty Mauser in Marty Supreme.—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The topic description lists employment and also states board members will vote on the matter.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, authorities plugged a description of the Nissan into a system run by Flock Safety that can read license plates and identify other vehicle details, then match sightings of the same car, including with different tags.—
Michelle Krupa,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Thank you for this role, thank you for believing in me, thank you for this portrait, for your mind, for your worldview.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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The new portrait shows the president with his fists on the Resolute Desk, staring directly into the camera.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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One image Emerald showed me was this amazing 1950s picture of a woman wrapped up in cellophane, like a gift with a bow around the middle.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
10 Jan. 2026
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After this weekend, the Sharks begin a tough four-game road trip with games against Washington, Detroit, Florida, and Tampa Bay — all teams in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portrayal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayal. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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