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
Non-pro Bastian Escobar plays the boy and Hugo Ramírez, also a non-pro, portrays his father.
—
Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Jones portrays the fierce warrior Prince Vlad of Wallachia, who goes on to become the mythical Dracula.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Throughout the book, Pratt portrays himself as an emblematic Southern California character, obsessed with crystals and burritos, New Age notions and get-rich-quick schemes, self-mythology and the power of celebrity.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Each transaction carries a trace of the rules applied, which Mercans portrays as crucial for auditability and corporate governance in multinational environments.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
Madden portrays Secretary of Defense Webb Preston, who has a technology background that sets him apart from most politicians.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
Famine report portrays a grim picture In recent months, Kordofan has become a flashpoint in the war and the army managed to break the RSF siege of two major cities in the region earlier this year.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Famine report portrays a grim picture In recent months, Kordofan has become a tinderbox in the war, and the army managed to break the RSF siege of two major cities in the region earlier this year.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Williams and Connor Storrie, who portrays Rozanov, were also Olympic torch bearers last week.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 4 Feb. 2026
Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Jones portrays the fierce warrior Prince Vlad of Wallachia, who goes on to become the mythical Dracula.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Throughout the book, Pratt portrays himself as an emblematic Southern California character, obsessed with crystals and burritos, New Age notions and get-rich-quick schemes, self-mythology and the power of celebrity.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Each transaction carries a trace of the rules applied, which Mercans portrays as crucial for auditability and corporate governance in multinational environments.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
Madden portrays Secretary of Defense Webb Preston, who has a technology background that sets him apart from most politicians.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
Famine report portrays a grim picture In recent months, Kordofan has become a flashpoint in the war and the army managed to break the RSF siege of two major cities in the region earlier this year.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Famine report portrays a grim picture In recent months, Kordofan has become a tinderbox in the war, and the army managed to break the RSF siege of two major cities in the region earlier this year.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Williams and Connor Storrie, who portrays Rozanov, were also Olympic torch bearers last week.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrays
Verb
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Badenhausen describes the impact that the World Cup might have on his 2027 numbers (minimal) and what the schedule flip might mean (different things for different teams).—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
17 Feb. 2026
-
White describes Stephen in that instant as almost electrified by the realization.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Tozal characterizes the neighborhood response to the redesign of Archer as universally negative, but there have been many weeks when supporters have outnumbered opponents during the protests.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
What is a greater hit against a presidential administration that characterizes itself as the party of family values than marrying two people in love on stage?—
Taylor Crumpton,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The short clip, posted on YouTube by COMA — the Chinatown Organization for Media Awakening — depicts director Jia Zhangke encountering an AI version of himself, leading to a conversation that blends humor with philosophical commentary on filmmaking in the age of artificial intelligence.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
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The 1973 black-and-white image, by an artist named Larry Williams, depicts a man being punched in the nose.—
Eva Remijan-Toba,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Because all 12 vertebrae of your thoracic spine (middle segment) connect to your rib cage, rib mobility plays a central role in how your spine moves and how forces are managed through your back.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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Besides being crucial for winter sports events, snow plays many other important roles, said David Robinson, New Jersey State Climatologist and a distinguished professor in the Rutgers University geography department.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But focusing exclusively on how a body part looks can overshadow what matters more—how your body performs and feels.—
Ciara Lucas,
SELF,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Lenderman performs his hero’s songs quite often on the road.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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It is not presented as a tool that simply processes hours, but as an instrument that interprets the meaning of those hours in each legal and contractual context.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
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For women, the brand interprets Future Memory through liberty blues, heritage plaids and silhouettes with strong shoulders.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His show represents one of the most significant archives of conversations with major literary powerhouses from the late 20th and early 21st centuries.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
An Olympic medal represents years of sacrifice and training.—
Lee Ying Shan,Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrays. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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