1
as in describing
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 characterizing
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 depicting
to present a picture of
a landscape that portrays the scenery near the town where the painter grew up
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in playing
to present a portrayal or performance of
gained fame portraying Susan B. Anthony in a one-woman show
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portraying
Newsom hedges his bets by portraying the budget as a placeholder that covers little more than spending increases driven by law, inflation and caseload until more revenue data are received.
—
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
Inside, you’ll be transported to the golden age of piracy and meet actors portraying famous pirates of the past, Wallsmith said.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Newsom hedges his bets by portraying the budget as a placeholder that covers little more than spending increases driven by law, inflation and caseload until more revenue data are received.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
Ossian made his acting debut in the 2022 film Burn All My Letters, portraying a younger version of Swedish actor Sverrir Gudnason’s character.
—Kelsey Lentz, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
The native Londoner will be portraying 23 different characters — including the bloodsucking Count — in Kip Williams' unusual adaptation of the classic novel of Gothic suspense by Bram Stoker.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Jan. 2026
Hopefuls are judged on musical performance, song choice, vocal abilities, costuming, crowd appeal and authenticity in portraying the real-life Gold Rush character Klondike Kate.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
The Venezuelan government has denied these allegations, portraying the agency as essential to defending national sovereignty against coups and foreign intervention.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Rather than portraying Cracolândia’s inhabitants as violent, lawbreaking addicts, Som da Maloka captures their artistry as singers, musicians, and poets, with Escobar putting their talents on full display through local carnival parades organized by his Blocolândia initiative.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
Inside, you’ll be transported to the golden age of piracy and meet actors portraying famous pirates of the past, Wallsmith said.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Newsom hedges his bets by portraying the budget as a placeholder that covers little more than spending increases driven by law, inflation and caseload until more revenue data are received.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
Ossian made his acting debut in the 2022 film Burn All My Letters, portraying a younger version of Swedish actor Sverrir Gudnason’s character.
—Kelsey Lentz, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
The native Londoner will be portraying 23 different characters — including the bloodsucking Count — in Kip Williams' unusual adaptation of the classic novel of Gothic suspense by Bram Stoker.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Jan. 2026
Hopefuls are judged on musical performance, song choice, vocal abilities, costuming, crowd appeal and authenticity in portraying the real-life Gold Rush character Klondike Kate.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
The Venezuelan government has denied these allegations, portraying the agency as essential to defending national sovereignty against coups and foreign intervention.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Rather than portraying Cracolândia’s inhabitants as violent, lawbreaking addicts, Som da Maloka captures their artistry as singers, musicians, and poets, with Escobar putting their talents on full display through local carnival parades organized by his Blocolândia initiative.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portraying
Verb
-
There is a difference between describing love and experiencing it.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
In their study describing the findings, published in Ecology and Evolution, the authors argue that these later marks are brighter because male deer antlers have fully hardened and their rubs can expose more inner wood.—
Anirban Mukhopadhyay,
Scientific American,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Federal prosecutors reportedly investigated federal contractors that consider diversity, characterizing such initiatives as fraud.—
Spencer Overton,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
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Several former heads of the central bank have come out against the move, characterizing it as an attempt to undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve, which is authorized by Congress to set monetary policy independent of the President's wishes.—
Time,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the 18th and 19th centuries, this square was the site of a slave market; today, bronze sculptures depicting scenes of branding and auctioning stand in memory of that brutal past.—
Caitlin Gunther,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
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British law prohibits distribution of deepfake imagery depicting adults.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The large tabletop is ideal for setting out snacks or playing a game with friends, while the distressed, two-tone brown-and-white finish blends easily with existing furniture.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
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If Moncada is healthy and playing third, that leaves those players to compete for time at second.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Charlotte Observer was not immediately able to reach the attorney representing Taylor, Gena Morris with James, McElroy & Diehl in Charlotte.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 2026
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The Business Roundtable, a group representing CEOs of America’s largest companies, didn’t respond to a request for comment.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At one end of the spectrum, Croatia, Greece, and Poland feature the most working hours in the European Union, and some of the bloc’s worst performing economies.—
Joe O’Connor,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Despite being far from perfect, the company says that AI models performing at 60% or better can reshape the nature of work as professionals work in tandem with the technology.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That ability to reframe identity has become one of her defining strengths.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Named after a now-defunct Houston theme park, Astroworld was both intimate and engineered for scale, marking the culmination of Scott’s early ascent and establishing him as one of the defining rap artists of his era.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Financial Institutions Trade associations and vendors that work with financial institutions that are transfer providers are also interpreting the exemptions and reporting requirements to advise their clients.—
Carrie Brandon Elliot,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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The researchers hope to extend the research to collect data from patients using wearable devices, which could help pinpoint exactly what the model is interpreting.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portraying. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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