1
as in describes
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 characterizes
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
traditionally, European authors portrayed the natives as wise and noble
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3
as in depicts
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 plays
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 portrays
Grande plays Glinda the Good Witch (originated by Kristin Chenoweth) while Cynthia Erivo portrays Elphaba, the Green-skinned protagonist (first played by Idina Menzel).
—
Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Set during the Japanese colonial period — when Taiwan’s cypress industry thrived — the series portrays a world built by men yet seen through the eyes of a Japanese woman.
—Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
In 2024's Wicked movie adaptation and the forthcoming second part, For Good, Ariana Grande stars as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo portrays Elphaba — and Chenoweth and Menzel made a surprise cameo in the first film written specifically for them.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
But Nebraska portrays those losers in South Succotash as real people.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2025
Its dreamlike visuals are the main event, as scene after scene of this film kaleidoscopically portrays its characters sliding in and out of the real and hallucinatory worlds.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
In Ruth, Kate Riley portrays the interior life of her title character with a richness that is at odds with Ruth’s austere Anabaptist community.
—Joanna Biggs, The New York Review of Books, 30 Oct. 2025
Natalie Wood portrays Lucy's daughter, Anna, and the actress shot to stardom later that same year by appearing in Miracle on 34th Street.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Jacob Elordi portrays the Creature, a collage of body parts reanimated during a storm.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Set during the Japanese colonial period — when Taiwan’s cypress industry thrived — the series portrays a world built by men yet seen through the eyes of a Japanese woman.
—Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
In 2024's Wicked movie adaptation and the forthcoming second part, For Good, Ariana Grande stars as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo portrays Elphaba — and Chenoweth and Menzel made a surprise cameo in the first film written specifically for them.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
But Nebraska portrays those losers in South Succotash as real people.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2025
Its dreamlike visuals are the main event, as scene after scene of this film kaleidoscopically portrays its characters sliding in and out of the real and hallucinatory worlds.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
In Ruth, Kate Riley portrays the interior life of her title character with a richness that is at odds with Ruth’s austere Anabaptist community.
—Joanna Biggs, The New York Review of Books, 30 Oct. 2025
Natalie Wood portrays Lucy's daughter, Anna, and the actress shot to stardom later that same year by appearing in Miracle on 34th Street.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Jacob Elordi portrays the Creature, a collage of body parts reanimated during a storm.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrays
Verb
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Beyond that, the complaint describes other people involved in the conspiracy who have also not been charged.—
David J. Lopez,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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The report describes resale as a tool for brands to acquire new customers, control their brand narrative, and generate new revenue.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The next step was to search for the higher-energy release of energy that stellar physicists believe characterizes the frequent CMEs from young stars.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Protest organizers have trained thousands in de-escalation techniques and have promised the day will be safe, even as political rhetoric characterizes demonstrators as being aligned with terrorist forces.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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One image depicts Taipei, home to the island’s government offices and military headquarters.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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The second is Nouvelle Vague, which giddily depicts the making of the French New Wave classic Breathless; by the end, the entire cast and crew have been driven up the wall by their mercurial director, Jean-Luc Godard (Guillaume Marbeck).—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That sensibility is countered by Dina’s, who plays the romantic foil to Liberty’s pessimist.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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The score was composed by Nitin Sawney and performed by a 60-piece orchestra, while a 200-strong cast plays over 500 characters across 198 chapters and 700-plus scenes.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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When Truth writes and performs a poem about her ordeal it is posted online for the world to see.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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When Francis performs at an open-mic poetry event, Lee swings by just in time for his daughter’s go.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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Data assimilation interprets new data alongside historical data to come up with the most accurate forecast possible.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The deal represents roughly six gigawatts of computing power, or about three times the amount of electricity the Hoover Dam can generate.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
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The perfect nine represents the nine daughters who have ninety-nine suitors to pick from.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrays. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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