1
as in describes
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 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
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
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of portrays
Mekia Cox, who portrays Nyla Harper, wed basketball analyst Britt Leach in 2018, according to The Knot.
—
Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Arnett, Cooper, and Mark Chappell cowrote the screenplay, and Cooper portrays Balls, Alex's actor friend who serves as the film's comic relief.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026
From that lens, the NCAA portrays the objectors as relying on a novel or quixotic theory (the counterargument, of course, is that the House settlement’s features are matters of first impression for any court and the lack of precedent shouldn’t be disqualifying).
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Jan. 2026
As part of the event, Mescal, who portrays William Shakespeare in the film (which was adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel), chatted with Antonia Blyth, a British writer based in Los Angeles.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 3 Jan. 2026
Recruitment ads have proliferated across TV, radio, print and podcasts directing viewers to an ICE hiring website that portrays immigration as an existential threat.
—Arkansas Online, 1 Jan. 2026
The more than 4,000-page indictment includes an organization chart that portrays Imamoglu as the founder and head of the criminal group.
—Reuters 17 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
In the video, Manilow portrays a character who sacrifices a traditional family life to pursue his dream as a performer.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025
Alongside the feature rollout, Walker also shared a teaser video that portrays Drea Nicole and Lex P — hosts of Pour Minds Podcast — as caterers at Walker’s wedding.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2025
Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Arnett, Cooper, and Mark Chappell cowrote the screenplay, and Cooper portrays Balls, Alex's actor friend who serves as the film's comic relief.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026
From that lens, the NCAA portrays the objectors as relying on a novel or quixotic theory (the counterargument, of course, is that the House settlement’s features are matters of first impression for any court and the lack of precedent shouldn’t be disqualifying).
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Jan. 2026
As part of the event, Mescal, who portrays William Shakespeare in the film (which was adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel), chatted with Antonia Blyth, a British writer based in Los Angeles.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 3 Jan. 2026
Recruitment ads have proliferated across TV, radio, print and podcasts directing viewers to an ICE hiring website that portrays immigration as an existential threat.
—Arkansas Online, 1 Jan. 2026
The more than 4,000-page indictment includes an organization chart that portrays Imamoglu as the founder and head of the criminal group.
—Reuters 17 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
In the video, Manilow portrays a character who sacrifices a traditional family life to pursue his dream as a performer.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025
Alongside the feature rollout, Walker also shared a teaser video that portrays Drea Nicole and Lex P — hosts of Pour Minds Podcast — as caterers at Walker’s wedding.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrays
Verb
-
Lopez describes her daughter as an energetic, talkative child who speaks both English and Spanish.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Among the more moving cases that Blair describes are those of people who in life were vulnerable and powerless but in death were considered formidable threats.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Coach has never been one to miss an opportunity for self-aggrandizement, and this quote effectively characterizes his three previous Survivor appearances not as failures but as bold attempts to tame a raging sea.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
-
The complaint characterizes the allegations as minor, noting that similar conduct is common at athletic events and other campus activities without disciplinary consequences.—
David Hudnall,
Kansas City Star,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Brewer depicts the world of music impersonators with a fair amount of affection, like the rodeo clowns of late 20th-century America.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
-
It's set in 1776 in Philly and depicts Benjamin Franklin and other Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence, with a celebratory toast with milk.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As Cuenca plays a ball to the feet of his striker, Wilson dashes in the other direction, delaying Ibrahima Konate’s forward jump because the centre-back knows Bradley is unable to track both him and Robinson at the same time.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
In the dark romantic comedy-drama, True Blood alum Skarsgård, 49, plays tough biker Ray, who enters into a dominant-submissive relationship with Colin (Melling), a shy and directionless man who sings in a barbershop quartet.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
New York storyteller Laura Sims leads workshops and performs stories on Saturday and Sunday during the Atlanta Jewish Storytelling Festival at The Breman.—
Mary Caldwell,
AJC.com,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Mindy performs in this scene wearing a pair of Jimmy Choo’s Sacaria platform sandals.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Scream With Me expands on this argument with its analysis of The Exorcist, a movie that Johnson interprets as a parable about physical abuse; its male demon torments and beats a single working mother and her child.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
-
About the Technology The new AI engine is designed to automatically interprets goals, constraints, and deliverables to generate structured project plans — complete with milestones, dependencies, and timelines.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Malliotakis, who represents the Staten Island resident in Congress, approached Rubio after a briefing given to all House members on the capture of former dictator Nicolas Maduro over the weekend.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
New York Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican who represents most of the Hudson Valley, is urging the president to lift the suspension.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrays. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share