1
as in described
to give a representation or account of in words
the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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4
as in played
to present a portrayal or performance of
gained fame portraying Susan B. Anthony in a one-woman show
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Recent Examples of portrayed
In the film, Walter portrayed Chessy, the housekeeper and nanny to Nick Parker (played by Dennis Quaid).
—
Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Some have portrayed family caregivers as illegitimately cashing in on government largesse.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 15 May 2026
In the past, Chicago has portrayed multiple East Coast cities — even Santa Monica and European locales.
—Kathy A. McDonald, Variety, 15 May 2026
Former Representative Elizabeth Holtzman, one of the co-authors, has portrayed the act as a corrective to the moral failure of refusing entry to many Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Angelina Jolie and Mila Kunis portrayed her in the 1998 HBO film Gia.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Meanwhile, militant leftists, a small subset of extremist violence in the United States, are portrayed as a threat on par with global terrorist networks such as al-Qaida.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 14 May 2026
In the book, Eric Richins is portrayed as an angel who is always close by.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
The villain-combo movie would put the breathing-apparatus Batman baddie, Bane, back on screen for his first appearance since 2012’s Christopher Nolan-directed The Dark Knight Rises, then portrayed by Tom Hardy.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 8 May 2026
Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Some have portrayed family caregivers as illegitimately cashing in on government largesse.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 15 May 2026
In the past, Chicago has portrayed multiple East Coast cities — even Santa Monica and European locales.
—Kathy A. McDonald, Variety, 15 May 2026
Former Representative Elizabeth Holtzman, one of the co-authors, has portrayed the act as a corrective to the moral failure of refusing entry to many Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Angelina Jolie and Mila Kunis portrayed her in the 1998 HBO film Gia.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Meanwhile, militant leftists, a small subset of extremist violence in the United States, are portrayed as a threat on par with global terrorist networks such as al-Qaida.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 14 May 2026
In the book, Eric Richins is portrayed as an angel who is always close by.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
The villain-combo movie would put the breathing-apparatus Batman baddie, Bane, back on screen for his first appearance since 2012’s Christopher Nolan-directed The Dark Knight Rises, then portrayed by Tom Hardy.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayed
Verb
-
By the time officers arrived, the situation had escalated into what officials described as an active shooter incident, with the suspect walking down the middle of Memorial Drive and firing in an erratic manner as traffic came to a halt.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
-
Taylor denied medical care, food during detention For the first time, Taylor described conditions inside the Stewart Detention Center in his own words.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The quiet interiors — defined by the revamp the stately building has undergone in the ‘50s — is characterized by an understated palette of neutral stone flooring and wooden furnishings, which were developed reusing existing materials.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
11 May 2026
-
The new animals, which also include three new gecko species, are still being formally named and characterized.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Space kills with patience, and often much more painfully than the instant deaths depicted in cinema, unfolding over seconds, days, minutes, or even years.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
-
Pratt’s campaign video depicted a bustling, lively, and clean Los Angeles.—
Britta Miller,
The Washington Examiner,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Curry played in five games after surgery to repair a broken second metacarpal.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
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Nobody had seen a second round playoff game played in Minnesota in more than a decade.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The suit says that Cantrell was eventually transferred to Oregon Health & Science University hospital, where doctors immediately recognized his condition as life-threatening, stabilized him and performed multiple surgeries, including amputating his arm up to his shoulder.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
-
No autopsy was performed after Chad declined, and she was buried within days, per KSL-TV.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
While Leo’s predecessors often had their words interpreted or subtitled in English, the current pope speaks in a mid-western accent, allowing his words and interventions to have a greater impact with an anglophone audience.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
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Several observers fear the sanctions are being interpreted domestically as evidence that Washington is prepared to tolerate constitutional changes so long as Tshisekedi remains aligned with US strategic interests.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portrayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayed. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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