Synonyms of portraying

portraying

verb

present participle of portray

1

as in describing

to give a representation or account of in words

the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• describing
• depicting
• painting
• rendering
• characterizing
• illustrating
• picturing
• delineating
• defining
• representing
• setting out
• sketching
• recounting
• drawing
• limning
• relating
• outlining
• displaying
• summarizing
• showing
• telling
• narrating
• imaging
• demonstrating
• exhibiting
• reporting
• suggesting
• labeling
• reciting
• tracing
• hinting
• qualifying
• rehearsing
• drafting
• silhouetting
• summing up
• redescribing
• touching off
• reimaging
• vignetting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• distorting
• misrepresenting
• twisting
• falsifying
• coloring
• warping
• misstating
• perverting
• misdescribing
• garbling

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

• describing
• characterizing
• depicting
• representing
• defining
• identifying
• charactering
• classifying
• categorizing
• indicating
• typing
• specifying
• pigeonholing
• marking
• distinguishing
• stamping
• naming
• coloring
• individualizing
• particularizing

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

• depicting
• representing
• describing
• picturing
• documenting
• imaging
• rendering
• showing
• outlining
• illustrating
• delineating
• sketching
• silhouetting
• caricaturing
• diagramming

4

as in playing

to present a portrayal or performance of

gained fame portraying Susan B. Anthony in a one-woman show

Synonyms & Similar Words

• playing
• performing
• depicting
• interpreting
• representing
• doing
• acting
• impersonating
• dramatizing
• enacting
• rendering
• imitating
• mimicking
• acting out
• masquerading
• aping
• taking on
• posing (as)
• pantomiming
• role-playing
• underplaying
• clowning
• playacting
• overplaying
• miming
• starring (in)
• overacting
• coacting
• hamming
• costarring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of portraying

Basically, what Thiel’s doing in his Antichrist speeches is portraying our current predicament as an existential battle between good and evil. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

Both the editorial boards of The Wall Street Journal and the National Review have come out against the legislation, collectively portraying the idea as a way to line the pockets of big studio owners and actors and save failing unions. — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Prosecutors accuse him of trivializing his conviction by portraying the offense as essentially a failure to file a government registration form. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026

Sarah Paulson is addressing the comparison between her and Charlize Theron portraying serial killer Aileen Wuornos. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026

There are larger forces at work, the stuff that hurts people who hurt people, and portraying that hurt (and its goal, escape) with understanding – not to say excuse-making – takes uncommon talent. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026

Saldaña has described portraying Joe as the most challenging role of her career. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Varga was best known for creating and portraying GWAR’s Sexecutioner character, beginning in 1985. — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2026

Lee won his race after portraying Sosnick as a wealthy outsider with investments in fossil fuel companies such as Chevron and Valero. — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026