as in depictions
a vivid representation in words of someone or something
his novel presents a moving portrayal of a woman searching for personal fulfillment and happiness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 portrayals
And although the film includes portrayals of many of the Jackson siblings, some also asked to be left out of the biopic, including Janet.
—
Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Cheadle, Young, and Ha deliver effortless portrayals.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Others featured in the show have similarly criticized their portrayals.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
These kinds of portrayals enforce biases that are damaging in the real world.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
At the same time, Muslim groups like Council on American-Islamic Relations and national interfaith coalitions such as Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign have worked with Christians to challenge these portrayals and promote more nuanced understandings of Islam.
—Anna Piela, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
More astute attention to character development, and more honest portrayals of how most of us really live.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
The late Catherine O'Hara and Annie Murphy both won Emmys when the series swept the comedy categories in 2020 for their portrayals of Moira and Alexis Rose, who were forced to move to a small town after a scamming business manager made off with their fortune.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Yet these portrayals carry both opportunity and responsibility.
—Peter White, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Cheadle, Young, and Ha deliver effortless portrayals.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Others featured in the show have similarly criticized their portrayals.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
These kinds of portrayals enforce biases that are damaging in the real world.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
At the same time, Muslim groups like Council on American-Islamic Relations and national interfaith coalitions such as Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign have worked with Christians to challenge these portrayals and promote more nuanced understandings of Islam.
—Anna Piela, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
More astute attention to character development, and more honest portrayals of how most of us really live.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
The late Catherine O'Hara and Annie Murphy both won Emmys when the series swept the comedy categories in 2020 for their portrayals of Moira and Alexis Rose, who were forced to move to a small town after a scamming business manager made off with their fortune.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Yet these portrayals carry both opportunity and responsibility.
—Peter White, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayals
Noun
-
These policies have been expanded into sweeping bans on Pride events and depictions of homosexuality in media like films and TV.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Jackson’s settlement with the Chandler family turned out to include an agreement that forbade the estate to participate in depictions of the events around Chandler’s allegation.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The photographer has even captured glamorous portraits of the Prince and Princess of Wales at state banquets, sometimes sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the white-tie events that call for ballgowns and tiaras.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
One source speculated that the portraits of the Bezoses may have been inspired by Condé journalists openly dreading the prospect of the billionaires owning Vogue and having Sánchez calling the shots.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Police officers saw a man matching witness descriptions and challenged him, Thomas said.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Full character descriptions for the new additions can be found below.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The housekeepers greet me with genuine care, the bartenders create cocktails with panache and smiles, and the doormen and women jauntily pose for pictures in their thick Batman-style winter cloaks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Vakoch said that among the early proponents of displaying pictures to communicate with extraterrestrials was the illustrious mathematician Karl Friedrich Gauss.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portrayals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayals. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
