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
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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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Recent Examples of portraying
Cody Hayes/TikTok Scores of online companies are increasingly turning to generative AI technology to deceive consumers, falsely portraying themselves as struggling small businesses to charge a premium for lower quality products, an ABC News visual investigation found.
—
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Adding to the moment was the anticipated appearance of Kevin Thompson, known for portraying Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, and the husband of a Santa Clarita Arts Commissioner.
—Daily News, 8 May 2026
The Scottish actor, 52, joined Season 5 in 2008 and has remained a regular series star ever since, portraying the complex and good-hearted doctor while also directing 49 episodes, more than anyone else.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Carlos Aguilar spoke to director Joel Alfonso Vargas about portraying the Dominican American community in the Bronx.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
An ex-girlfriend’s testimony portraying Clark as involved in satanic practices was also called into question, with the lawsuit alleging her statements conflicted with earlier accounts.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
She is known for her popular character Cathy Anne on Weekend Update and for portraying Jeanine Pirro.
—Caroline Killilea, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
The messages show discussions not only of removing Moïse from power but also of portraying the operation, after the fact, as the execution of a legal arrest warrant, even as the squad of Colombian commandos entered his residence.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
The film stars renegade country singer Elizabeth Cook as a fictionalized version of herself, portraying an artist navigating midlife while contending with an industry that has never fully embraced her.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Adding to the moment was the anticipated appearance of Kevin Thompson, known for portraying Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, and the husband of a Santa Clarita Arts Commissioner.
—Daily News, 8 May 2026
The Scottish actor, 52, joined Season 5 in 2008 and has remained a regular series star ever since, portraying the complex and good-hearted doctor while also directing 49 episodes, more than anyone else.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Carlos Aguilar spoke to director Joel Alfonso Vargas about portraying the Dominican American community in the Bronx.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
An ex-girlfriend’s testimony portraying Clark as involved in satanic practices was also called into question, with the lawsuit alleging her statements conflicted with earlier accounts.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
She is known for her popular character Cathy Anne on Weekend Update and for portraying Jeanine Pirro.
—Caroline Killilea, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
The messages show discussions not only of removing Moïse from power but also of portraying the operation, after the fact, as the execution of a legal arrest warrant, even as the squad of Colombian commandos entered his residence.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
The film stars renegade country singer Elizabeth Cook as a fictionalized version of herself, portraying an artist navigating midlife while contending with an industry that has never fully embraced her.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portraying
Verb
-
When Pope Francis used to call the parish priest in Gaza, as he was known to do every evening during Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian enclave, the Vatican always declined to provide details, describing the initiative as a personal pastoral act by the pope.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
-
The 2007 Fortune piece that named the mafia quoted then-COO David Sacks describing what made the company work in the first place.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The company's dominance in GPUs is increasingly characterizing the stock as a value play, rather than a growth name.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
-
Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76, were stabbed in north London on Wednesday in an incident that national authorities are now characterizing as a terrorist attack.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
More recently, Trump’s Truth Social account shared a racist video depicting the Obamas as apes.—
Peter Slevin,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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An athlete would be prevented from depicting their high school or using its facilities or property in their NIL.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Thanks for playing — and share your scores in the comments!—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
Paul and Barlow spent several minutes in the second half playing in the frontcourt, giving Nurse options to switch seamlessly while playing small when other Sixers bigs dealt with foul trouble.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The labor market gained 38,000 courier and messenger jobs in April, representing roughly a third of all positions added in the month.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
-
The union representing workers employed by the Writers Guild of America have reached an agreement on their first contract, ending a strike that lasted nearly three months.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Prada 2 is, in that sense, the model performing exactly as designed.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
Coyle has served as an advisor to many high-performing organizations, including the Navy SEALs, Microsoft, Google, and the Cleveland Guardians.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Ly emphasizes that recurrence in identical locations is one of the most defining features.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
6 May 2026
-
Making a living in independent film is a defining tenet for the duo.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
When interpreting known brands, his first mission is authenticity.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This long-term evolution culminated in the training of an algorithm capable of accurately interpreting and recognizing complex patterns of electrical pulses within the system.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portraying. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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