Definition of representnext
1
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group the writer of the magazine article represented the students at the academy as a bunch of spoiled brats

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to depict
to present a picture of a painting representing the ocean at sunrise

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to symbolize
to serve as a material counterpart of this orange represents the sun and this pea represents the Earth

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 represent This wearable device uses an AI algorithm to translate internal anatomical shifts into digital data representing 22 degrees of freedom in the fingers and palm. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026 Progress for directors peaked in 2023, with 20 women and nonbinary directors represented in the Top 100 films. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026 The 2026 California gubernatorial race represents the most wide-open contest since 1998, drawing striking parallels to that volatile election when Gray Davis unexpectedly emerged victorious despite trailing significantly in early polling. Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026 For Xavier, who signed with Atlantic last year, this album represents a moment of growth. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for represent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for represent
Verb
  • Afterward, a student in the audience complained to his parents that, at the event, the deaths of Palestinian civilians had been characterized as collateral damage—a regrettable but unavoidable consequence of the battle against Hamas.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • That message, closely aligned with how Trump has characterized his own legal battles, was also front and center in Paxton’s remarks at the Ronald Reagan dinner Friday night.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Such engravings, which depict the wackily maximalist style à la mode, including oodles of feathers and furbelows, were, in essence, early precursors to modern fashion magazines.
    Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The formation assembled 394 feet above the river and depicted some of the world’s most iconic TV shows, sports, and movies, including Harry Potter, Batman, Superman, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and The White Lotus.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples, marking the institution of Holy Communion and the washing of feet, symbolizing humility and service, according to the Presbyterian Church.
    Julia Gomez, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Beyond restoring the physical landscape, the Iron Age mound might have symbolized a reestablishment of the sacred and social order.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Rabbi Irwin Kula, the panel’s moderator, asked the participants to describe their biggest fear or nightmare.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • In 2024, Contra Costa County investigators searched a ravine and found the ladder Matthew Muller described using to climb into a family's house weeks after the March 2015 attack on Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn.
    Lauren Clark, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Federal authorities allege in an indictment that the images portrayed of dogs raised and offered for sale at the Giant German Shepherd Ranch in Hopkins County were a disguise for a place where, instead, cruelty and neglect were rampant.
    J.D. Miles, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Quickly afterward, though, came the denials from Iran about talks, while Iran's semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies portrayed the American president as backing down.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Sets by Illenium, Steve Aoki, BZRP, Vintage Culture, Armin Van Buuren, Alesso, Martin Garrix, Eric Prydz, Sara Landry, Major Lazer and others highlight a night defined by big production and packed audiences.
    Miami Herald newsroom, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
  • The girl everyone thought Vlasis was, is the pop-star Madonna who at the time was emerging as a major Hollywood It-girl, and would later become a cultural phenomenon that defined the 80s and 90s.
    Daily News, Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Represent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/represent. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on represent

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster