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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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
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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
Verb
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The Down-to-Earth Pope In a historic moment characterized by autocrats and would-be autocrats, Francis was the antithesis of a strongman.—
Bluesky Social,
Bluesky Social,
21 Apr. 2025
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Dramatic shifts in mood from extreme highs (mania/hypomania) to lows (depression) characterize bipolar disorder.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
18 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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Vick had a career-high 540 yards rushing in 1988 and played only four NFL seasons.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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How Nvidia plays export whack-a-mole Culture champion.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Jake Elder, Ray Hendrick, Banjo Matthews, Larry Phillips, and Bob Welborn are on this year’s Pioneer Ballot, representing those whose careers began at least 60 years ago.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2025
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For 2025, the total number of companies for which emissions data was obtained increased from approximately 750 in the previous year to around 900 in the current year, representing a 25% growth.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 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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According to the family’s lawsuit, no medical or mental-health intake was performed at the jail, and McLemore, who was held in a windowless cell, began to fear food and water.—
Sarah Stillman,
New Yorker,
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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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portray. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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