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
But Thornton is less interested in portraying his characters as victims than survivors, bound together by the strength of love and resilience.
—
Teresa Xie, NPR, 20 Feb. 2026
To see an artist of this caliber in such a vulnerable position of trying something new coincided with portraying a character at a turning point in his life.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Morgan Fairchild is looking back on her first sweet conversation with Matthew Perry before portraying his mom on Friends.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2026
Abraham Lincoln, James Madison and George Washington were among the presidents taking photos and sharing important moments with visitors to the Yorba Linda museum — or at least actors portraying the historical leaders were.
—Heather McRea, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
While Season 3 brought a horror vibe to portraying Joe Leaphorn’s moral and personal dilemmas, Season 4 has its own, almost David Lynchian, style.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
Still, the actress felt the weight of portraying a figure so beloved for her signature minimalist style.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Alberdi explores the tale from Ale’s perspective through the use of dramatizations, with actress Ana Celeste Montalvo Peña portraying Ale, and Armando Espitia as Arturo.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
Terms included portraying Moy in a positive light and compensating the family for its assistance.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 13 Feb. 2026
Teresa Xie, NPR, 20 Feb. 2026
To see an artist of this caliber in such a vulnerable position of trying something new coincided with portraying a character at a turning point in his life.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Morgan Fairchild is looking back on her first sweet conversation with Matthew Perry before portraying his mom on Friends.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2026
Abraham Lincoln, James Madison and George Washington were among the presidents taking photos and sharing important moments with visitors to the Yorba Linda museum — or at least actors portraying the historical leaders were.
—Heather McRea, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
While Season 3 brought a horror vibe to portraying Joe Leaphorn’s moral and personal dilemmas, Season 4 has its own, almost David Lynchian, style.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
Still, the actress felt the weight of portraying a figure so beloved for her signature minimalist style.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Alberdi explores the tale from Ale’s perspective through the use of dramatizations, with actress Ana Celeste Montalvo Peña portraying Ale, and Armando Espitia as Arturo.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
Terms included portraying Moy in a positive light and compensating the family for its assistance.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portraying
Verb
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Some of Jackson's children spoke to CBS News Chicago, describing both the weight of this loss and the global impact their father leaves behind.—
Darius Johnson,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Brian Lyons said, describing the wind event as moving in very quickly.—
Amanda Musa,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But Morès deserves to be recognized as a father of fascism not merely for having applied the old metaphor of the fasces to a new hierarchical order, characterizing it as an interclass panacea.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
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Top Tyler leaders haven’t been thrilled with Pappas either, replying to her letters by defending their work and characterizing her correspondence as counterproductive and at times, misleading or hyperbolic.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But just as there’s a difference between depicting chaos and depicting chaotically, there’s a difference between presenting theatergoers with a realistic image of mental illness and driving an audience nuts.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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He was detained nearby during a traffic stop, with photos from Fox depicting him in the parking lot of Culver’s restaurant.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun was also found guilty Thursday of playing a major role in the insurrection and sentenced to 30 years in prison.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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On a frigid night recently, about a dozen people arrived at the Evanston Public Library to try playing a new game created by Steven Franconeri, a Northwestern University psychology professor.—
Jeff Banowetz,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, engineering accounts for about 6% of bachelor's degrees awarded nationwide, representing a relatively small share of all college graduates, according to the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
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For Jonathan Franks, a consultant who works on cases representing Americans held abroad, Jackson's influence and impact is without comparison.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One of his favorite memories wasn’t taking pictures, but performing with Bob at a Grammy party.—
Alison Weinflash,
Rolling Stone,
21 Feb. 2026
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Patrick Smith / Getty Images Athletes jump off a near-vertical ramp, launching themselves in the air and performing complex aerobatics, reaching speeds of up to more than 65 km per hour.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The elevated take on the more conservative looks defining the season was inspired by 16th century Persian miniature paintings.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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Six busloads of students traveled to witness a defining victory at Xavier in 1983.—
Mario DiLoreto,
Hartford Courant,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Styled by Lotta Volkova, the cast includes the likes of Pierre Francois Jacob playing Turlington’s husband; Penelope Ternes and Kaplan Hani as their daughter and son; Edoardo Sebastianelli and Lina Zhang interpreting their respective partners, and Fatou Kebbeh as their friend.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
16 Feb. 2026
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As Texas Attorney General, the office plays a critical role in interpreting and enforcing the Public Information Act (PIA), which ensures government transparency by allowing citizens to access public records.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portraying. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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