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 Attorneys for Nicholas La Strada, the former director of election integrity under Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, portrayed their client as a loyal Republican who ran afoul of the office after raising concerns about its conduct. Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026 Much of the debate has focused on how Islam is portrayed in the new standards. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026 For the September 21, 2026, issue, Dean Rohrer portrayed the city as a place for new beginnings. Françoise Mouly, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Knox also penned an episode of the miniseries, in which she’s portrayed by Grace Van Patten. Jami Ganz, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Sep. 2026 That was portrayed in some quarters as a mass exodus, one that would inevitably lead to the remainder of Newcastle’s best players departing as well — if not during the window just gone, then next summer. Chris Waugh, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 But once the gameday lights go hot, nobody tunes in to hear white people get portrayed as usurpers. Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026 Beatty portrayed River—the kindhearted fiancée of one of the siblings—until the play closed in June 2024. Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026 Cats have at least been associated with women and mysticism since ancient Egypt and the goddess Bast, often portrayed as a women’s body with the head of a feline. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayed
Verb
  • William Curry, a 74-year-old retiree who described himself as a libertarian-leaning independent conservative, voted for Warner's Republican challenger, Bert Mizusawa, and Wittman.
    ALI SWENSON, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The suspect was described by Palencia as an intelligent student and active taekwondo practitioner.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The investigation into Toro follows a complaint from Bigelow that alleges the workplace culture under Toro’s leadership is characterized as oppressive, bullying and fearful, according to the complaint.
    Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026
  • This is the visual flow of the arrangement, which is characterized by the repetition of elements or features.
    Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • But Arch Manning leading a news conference’s laughing praise of an AI video that depicted his coach back-handing Holly Rowe?
    Jason Kirk, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The political and economic conditions in Turkey today affect towns like the one depicted in the film.
    Roberto Prieto, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Kerry’s son Noah (played by Shea Pritchard) seems to be doing well for himself, at least, as a kid with college prospects.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The Pentagon spokesperson pushed back on that characterization, questioning how OSC could have played a role if that were the case.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Hundreds crowded around the Adidas store as the KU pep band and cheerleaders performed for about a half hour.
    Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Emergency crews performed life-saving measures before Blue was pronounced dead at the scene.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The decision establishing the fund is very clear that contributions are voluntary and the act of contributing should not be interpreted as an acknowledgment of liability.
    Tarun Gopalakrishnan, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • They should not be interpreted as a finding that the certificate was technically misissued, TrustAsia said.
    Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portrayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayed. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster