portrayed

past tense of portray
1
2
as in characterized
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 depicted
to present a picture of a landscape that portrays the scenery near the town where the painter grew up

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

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 portrayed Tiffany, who had 10-times more cash on hand than either Hong or Crowley did entering August, has portrayed the race as a contest between chaos and common sense. ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 And like any awkward teenager, his style was portrayed as a bit chaotic and confusing throughout the film—as per Karmin’s plan. Dylan Muñoz, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026 In this mise-en-scène, assisted dying is portrayed as a relational, dignified, and visually pleasing act. Vanessa Rampton, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026 The officials, who were briefed on the negotiations, portrayed the potential deal as a temporary solution to the dispute over the strait. Elena Becatoros, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 Athena Grant-Nash on Fox’s 9-1-1, a character she’s portrayed since 2018. Dylan Kickham, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Aug. 2026 Superman has been portrayed by multiple actors, but each reboot has largely asked audiences to begin again. David Deal, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 The person who portrayed being a teen was actually a decoy, police said. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026 DePaiva portrayed Max from 1987 to 1990 and from 1991 to 2003 before returning briefly in 2007. Christina Dugan Ramirez, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayed
Verb
  • Solar eclipse watchers have for centuries vividly described an eerie phenomenon known as shadow bands that appears just before and after totality — the period when the moon completely blocks the sun’s light and the sky goes dark.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Officials said the gun, described as small and compact, was legally registered to the boy’s grandfather.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • All those relationships and the powerplay that characterized that period.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Swatting is just one criminal element associated with 764, which federal authorities have characterized as a network of nihilistic violent extremists.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In Roman art, invidia is sometimes depicted as a gaunt Medusa-like figure with serpents for hair.
    Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
  • For the cover of the August 10, 2026, issue, the painter and graphic novelist Eric Drooker depicted the Guggenheim Museum as a cool clearing in a forest.
    Françoise Mouly, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In a clip posted to her Instagram Stories, the Duchess of Sussex wore her pajamas while cooking breakfast as music played in the background.
    Hannah Malach, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Upon her return to Chase Center, Los Angeles Sparks guard Kate Martin receives a pregame tribute video and a standing ovation; Martin played one season for the Valkyries before being cut in training camp this year.
    Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In the past year since the outbreak of Israel’s siege of Lebanon, Wakim, Elassal, and Aukar have all performed shows in the country.
    Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Following the hormone injections, an outpatient procedure is performed to retrieve the eggs from the ovaries.
    Isabel Danzis, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The murder of an influencer could be interpreted as an attempt to send an intimidating message to the opposing side.
    Rey Rodríguez, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, improved imaging capability increased the number of scans performed and interpreted, expanding the field rather than shrinking it.
    Mudit Garg, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Portrayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayed. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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