1
as in describing
to give a representation or account of in words
the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portraying
At the same time, a growing chorus of conservative policymakers and activists has begun to question whether the government should pay family caregivers at all, portraying the programs as wasteful and prone to fraud.
—
Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Clay Travis also pointed out how Dennis is bad for ESPN’s business by portraying SEC schools and fans as racist.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Filmmaker Nolan, 55, confirmed that Nyong'o is portraying both Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra in The Odyssey in a Time magazine profile published Tuesday, May 12.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Chinese state media is already portraying this visit as a major diplomatic victory for China.
—Selina Wang, ABC News, 14 May 2026
The actor spoke to us during a day off from portraying drummer Ringo Starr in Sam Mendes’ four-part Beatles film blockbuster.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 May 2026
The Dennis To spinoff films have developed their own identity within the franchise universe, portraying a younger and more traditional version of the Wing Chun master.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 May 2026
High up on the curving walls to either side were large murals painted in the 1930s by the artist Barry Faulkner portraying Thomas Jefferson handing the Declaration to John Hancock and the ratification of the Constitution.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
For me, the emotion and connection was the bigger aspect of portraying Frenchie.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Clay Travis also pointed out how Dennis is bad for ESPN’s business by portraying SEC schools and fans as racist.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Filmmaker Nolan, 55, confirmed that Nyong'o is portraying both Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra in The Odyssey in a Time magazine profile published Tuesday, May 12.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Chinese state media is already portraying this visit as a major diplomatic victory for China.
—Selina Wang, ABC News, 14 May 2026
The actor spoke to us during a day off from portraying drummer Ringo Starr in Sam Mendes’ four-part Beatles film blockbuster.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 May 2026
The Dennis To spinoff films have developed their own identity within the franchise universe, portraying a younger and more traditional version of the Wing Chun master.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 May 2026
High up on the curving walls to either side were large murals painted in the 1930s by the artist Barry Faulkner portraying Thomas Jefferson handing the Declaration to John Hancock and the ratification of the Constitution.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
For me, the emotion and connection was the bigger aspect of portraying Frenchie.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portraying
Verb
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Xi nonetheless struck a more conciliatory tone when describing the overall relationship.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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What Blankfein is describing isn’t a hypothetical.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The company temporarily halted the work and offered to repair the road at no cost to the county, characterizing the work as a gift.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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The pick-up in optimism matches other data characterizing speculative appetite amid this year's extraordinary surge in tech stocks.—
Oliver Renick,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Budget-conscious passengers, many of them young, formed a seemingly endless security line snaking around the rotunda, which features a twelve-foot-high mural depicting the history of flight.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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On the Season 44 premiere in September 2018, Damon parodied Kavanaugh’s Senate testimony, depicting his belligerence and frequently yelling, referencing beer, among other things — using many of the actual quotes from the hearing.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
10 May 2026
Verb
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At a press conference Wednesday announcing the bill, lawmakers cited studies showing that the cost of playing youth sports has risen by 46% in five years, with many families paying more than $5,000 per child for a single season.—
Kenny Jacoby,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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The 16-year-old Sullivan collected his first career MLS goal, playing a cross to Ben Bender and finishing the return pass to cut the deficit to 3-2.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The Connecticut Restaurant and Hospitality Association, the trade association representing the state’s restaurants and hotels, was especially supportive of another provision in the bill that would have allowed a portion of the sales-and-use tax to be dedicated to tourism funding.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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The railroad system, which serves New York City and its eastern suburbs, ceased operations just after midnight after five unions representing about half its workforce walked off the job.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Losing Fried would be a gut punch for most organizations, but with Schlittler continuing his ascension into stardom, the Yankees might be able to continue performing as one of the league’s best clubs without much of a blip.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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Dara performing during a dress rehearsal in Vienna on Saturday.—
Andrew Jones,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The slice in your hand has a city of origin, a specific oven, a defining cheese and usually a stubborn local who will tell you everyone else is doing it wrong.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
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Maika Monroe may have starred in multiple defining horror films of the last 10-plus years, from her breakout in It Follows to the recent box-office smash Longlegs, but no amount of scream-queen credits could prepare her for the gory terror of Victorian Psycho.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The settlements come after years of fierce and expensive court battles, which highlighted the difficulties in interpreting a legal provision that was first enacted several years after it was written into law.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
11 May 2026
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Before interpreting for film professionals, she had never been whisked to places like the Chateau Marmont.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portraying. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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