Synonyms of portrays

portrays

verb

present tense third-person singular of portray

1

as in describes

to give a representation or account of in words

the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• describes
• depicts
• paints
• renders
• characterizes
• illustrates
• delineates
• sets out
• defines
• represents
• recounts
• limns
• images
• sketches
• summarizes
• draws
• pictures
• outlines
• narrates
• relates
• tells
• demonstrates
• shows
• suggests
• displays
• exhibits
• recites
• reports
• qualifies
• traces
• labels
• hints
• rehearses
• sums up
• vignettes
• silhouettes
• drafts
• reimages
• touches off
• redescribes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• distorts
• misrepresents
• colors
• falsifies
• misstates
• warps
• perverts
• twists
• garbles
• misdescribes

2

as in characterizes

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

• characterizes
• describes
• depicts
• defines
• represents
• characters
• identifies
• types
• classifies
• indicates
• categorizes
• specifies
• pigeonholes
• colors
• distinguishes
• stamps
• marks
• individualizes
• particularizes
• names

3

as in depicts

to present a picture of

a landscape that portrays the scenery near the town where the painter grew up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• depicts
• represents
• describes
• images
• pictures
• renders
• illustrates
• delineates
• outlines
• shows
• documents
• sketches
• silhouettes
• diagrams
• caricatures

4

as in plays

to present a portrayal or performance of

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plays
• depicts
• performs
• interprets
• represents
• does
• impersonates
• acts
• dramatizes
• renders
• enacts
• imitates
• mimics
• acts out
• underplays
• pantomimes
• overplays
• masquerades
• poses (as)
• takes on
• role-plays
• mimes
• stars (in)
• overacts
• apes
• hams
• playacts
• costars
• clowns
• coacts

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of portrays

Anderson portrays a young woman caught between danger and redemption under Joe’s guidance. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

Fearn portrays Owen, a young sound engineer, who falls in love with a girl in a nightclub, gets her number, and the next morning realizes one of the digits is missing. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026

Williams portrays her other daughter, Antonia, while Kidman revives her iconic Practical Magic role as Sally’s sister, Gillian. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026

Starring Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, the movie portrays three working women who rebel against their sexist boss. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

This theory isn’t landing in Washington, where the frantic and ideologically charged discourse portrays the adrift Democrats as led around by their left wing. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026

But his appeal to the Iranian population comes as the administration increasingly portrays Tehran as approaching an internal breaking point. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Cowan, who portrays the ’50s actress, is the director’s girlfriend of more than five years. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Genden Phuntsok portrays the late Sherpa in this inspiring biopic from Jennifer Peedom, with Tom Hiddleston as New Zealand explorer Sir Edmund Hillary. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026