1
as in describing
to give a representation or account of in words
the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
In one section, Mayer turns her focus to Diana, portraying the late princess as a woman whose extraordinary capacity for empathy was matched by a deep belief in romance — and whose hopes for love often collided with reality.
—
Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Now that this population is finally getting highlighted more directly in media, what should these shows and movies be portraying?
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Holland’s choice doesn’t come out of nowhere, as Cooper previously expressed interest in portraying the web-slinger.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
On July 22, Epstein wrote a kind of cri de coeur, portraying himself as a victim of the #MeToo movement.
—New York Times, 16 June 2026
She is perhaps best known for portraying Diana Trout in Younger, starring opposite Sutton Foster.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 June 2026
However, critics argued that his remarks ultimately reinforced stereotypes that have long been attached to Black women in sports media by portraying Reese as a villainous figure.
—Brielle Miller, Baltimore Sun, 16 June 2026
The International Jury praised its artistic excellence, sensitive direction and emotional depth in portraying universal themes of love, hope, waiting and motherhood.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 June 2026
Trump has publicly commented on Paramount along the way, sometimes portraying the Ellisons as his friends and specifically expressing interest in the family taking over CNN.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Now that this population is finally getting highlighted more directly in media, what should these shows and movies be portraying?
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Holland’s choice doesn’t come out of nowhere, as Cooper previously expressed interest in portraying the web-slinger.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
On July 22, Epstein wrote a kind of cri de coeur, portraying himself as a victim of the #MeToo movement.
—New York Times, 16 June 2026
She is perhaps best known for portraying Diana Trout in Younger, starring opposite Sutton Foster.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 June 2026
However, critics argued that his remarks ultimately reinforced stereotypes that have long been attached to Black women in sports media by portraying Reese as a villainous figure.
—Brielle Miller, Baltimore Sun, 16 June 2026
The International Jury praised its artistic excellence, sensitive direction and emotional depth in portraying universal themes of love, hope, waiting and motherhood.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 June 2026
Trump has publicly commented on Paramount along the way, sometimes portraying the Ellisons as his friends and specifically expressing interest in the family taking over CNN.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portraying
Verb
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In a professional biography posted on Canvas last updated in 2022, Davis demonstrated his passion for areospace studies and flight training, describing his extensive education and flight experience.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
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The preservation coalition have compared the sculpture garden to Trump’s White House ballroom and triumphal arch projects, describing them as costly and frequent targets of litigation.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Supporters of the high-earner tax for public education have been quick to stress it’s been in place for more than a decade, characterizing any rollback of it as a tax cut for the wealthy.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
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So much of The Last Supper involved characterizing songs, movies, music videos, paintings, and so on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Kimura says his fascination with upskirting began at the age of 15, with pornography depicting staged scenarios.—
Hanako Montgomery,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
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However, a bronze bust depicting Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, stood out the most to archaeologists.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
20 June 2026
Verb
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Dallas Stadium’s long-term grass future Once engineers figured out that drainage was a major problem in sustaining quality grass indoors, putting down a playing surface for a football, futbol or a soccer game wasn’t that hard.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
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Even playing in the large San Francisco market and increasing payroll from $175 million in 2024 to $210 million in 2026.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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But even that proposal may be in danger, thanks to a dispute that has erupted between the city’s labor negotiators and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing rank-and-file officers.—
Los Angeles City Hall,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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Just a few years removed from representing Toronto at the All-Star Game, Espinal is once again looking for a new major-league home.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Verb
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There isn't a second credits scene, but moviegoers who stick around until the very end will see Lilypad performing an amusing little rap with some of the other toys, including Bad Bunny's Pizza with Sunglasses, as the credits finish scrolling.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
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That, in turn, strengthens the case for the Bank of Korea to raise interest rates, the very pressure that has made Korean government bonds the worst-performing sovereign debt in the world this year.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Verb
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Both came to the Nats in the aforementioned — and franchise-defining — trade away of Soto in 2022.—
Barry Svrluga,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Digital sovereignty is quickly becoming a defining pursuit for countries trying to build strategic autonomy.—
Aidan Gomez,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
Verb
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In an email to ARTnews, Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz cautioned against interpreting shrinking sales in the ultra-contemporary category as a sign that collectors have lost interest.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
15 June 2026
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This inspired a lot of lawsuits that have winded their ways through the court system and the Supreme Court is adjudicating one of those lawsuits right now, basically interpreting the Constitution.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portraying. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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