1
as in to describe
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 to characterize
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 to depict
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 to play
to present a portrayal or performance of
gained fame portraying Susan B. Anthony in a one-woman show
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portray
In the 1998 classic — which saw Lindsay Lohan in her film debut — Quaid portrayed vineyard owner Nick Parker, the father of twins Hallie and Annie (both Lohan), who convince him to reunite with their mother Elizabeth (played by Natasha Richardson).
—
Brendan Le, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
In contrast to the anti-immigrant rhetoric emanating from the White House, the survey of 800 California voters portrays a populace that values the contributions of immigrants, regardless of legal status, and believes their well-being is intertwined with a well-functioning state.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Schulz portrayed his Peanuts gang as small adults; Feiffer’s adults are all neurotic overgrown children.
—Art Spiegelman, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2025
Molly's close friendship with Nikki, portrayed by Jenny Slate, is at the emotional heart of the series.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portray
Brendan Le, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
In contrast to the anti-immigrant rhetoric emanating from the White House, the survey of 800 California voters portrays a populace that values the contributions of immigrants, regardless of legal status, and believes their well-being is intertwined with a well-functioning state.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Schulz portrayed his Peanuts gang as small adults; Feiffer’s adults are all neurotic overgrown children.
—Art Spiegelman, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2025
Molly's close friendship with Nikki, portrayed by Jenny Slate, is at the emotional heart of the series.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portray
Verb
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The problem described in the lawsuit is that even for domestic travel, if a driver's license and passport identify a person by different sexes, Transportation Security Administration officials accuse the person of holding a fraudulent document.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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Born in Naples, his songs are described as a blend of Neapolitan, blues, jazz and world music.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to characterize the sudden change in policy as part of a grand negotiating strategy.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
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The World Health Organization defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon which is characterized by feelings of energy depletion, increased mental distance from one's job, and reduced professional efficacy.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There’s also the personal draw: Not everyone has experienced a haunting, but complicated family dynamics are depicted so often in media that the setting feels both funny and heart racing.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
18 Apr. 2025
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And, for families looking for strong tween and teenage girl protagonists depicted on screen, Rule Breakers is ideal.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Coming off the most disappointing loss of the season, when Minnesota coughed up a 24-point lead with 10 minutes to play in Milwaukee, Conley immediately went to work in the locker room, emphasizing how important the Wolves’ game against the Grizzlies was for their playoff chances.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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That defense fueled one of the best offensive quarters any team has played this season.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Newsweek has reached out to the legal team representing Trump's presidential campaign for comment via email on Thursday.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
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This trip back to Chicago was supposed to represent something new.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But while most saw the moment as a liberating one for women, Horsell saw it as another instance of a female playing top-level sport without the necessary support to perform at her best.—
Asif Burhan,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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From May 8 to 18, orchestras from around the world will convene in Amsterdam to perform the composer and conductor’s complete orchestral works, marathon-style.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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OneNote's Math Assistant can interpret handwritten math equations and solve them for you, though this is available only for Enterprise and Education subscribers to Microsoft 365.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
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From a legal standpoint, the SEC’s February memo could be interpreted as offering regulatory cover for projects like these, provided they are not marketed with profit guarantees or tied to managerial efforts.—
Tonya M. Evans,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Here’s hoping these two titans of the game meet one more time in the postseason before they’re done.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
18 Apr. 2025
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But another South Florida spot did: Itamae Ao, a Nikkei-style Peruvian-Japanese spot in Miami, earned its first Michelin star.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portray. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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