1
as in describing
to give a representation or account of in words
the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in characterizing
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
traditionally, European authors portrayed the natives as wise and noble
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in depicting
to present a picture of
a landscape that portrays the scenery near the town where the painter grew up
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in playing
to present a portrayal or performance of
gained fame portraying Susan B. Anthony in a one-woman show
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 portraying
Grande has been open about the emotional journey of portraying Glinda, which had been her dream role throughout her career.
—
Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Farrar, portraying the observant and multilingual Demetrius, spoke about the invaluable experience of watching Davis and Anderson work.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
Dedicated to the suspension of time, the booth displayed vignettes portraying urban landscapes, creating a sense of calmness in a dynamic setting.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025
After portraying Ben Stiller’s son, Nick Daley, in the Hollywood blockbuster, former child actor Jacob Cherry reflects on his unforgettable experience on set — and shares how his unexpected career shift away from acting is shaping his future.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
In Full Frontal, Katt played the darkly humorous role of an actor portraying Adolf Hitler in a fictional play called The Sound and the Fuhrer.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
From playing a female warrior to joining the DC Universe and portraying a relentless law professor, embodying strong-willed characters is her specialty.
—Giana Levy, Refinery29, 10 Apr. 2025
Grande, 31, entered the SAG Awards with a score of nominations for portraying Glinda in Wicked, one of 2024's most popular movies.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Farrar, portraying the observant and multilingual Demetrius, spoke about the invaluable experience of watching Davis and Anderson work.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
Dedicated to the suspension of time, the booth displayed vignettes portraying urban landscapes, creating a sense of calmness in a dynamic setting.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025
After portraying Ben Stiller’s son, Nick Daley, in the Hollywood blockbuster, former child actor Jacob Cherry reflects on his unforgettable experience on set — and shares how his unexpected career shift away from acting is shaping his future.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
In Full Frontal, Katt played the darkly humorous role of an actor portraying Adolf Hitler in a fictional play called The Sound and the Fuhrer.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
From playing a female warrior to joining the DC Universe and portraying a relentless law professor, embodying strong-willed characters is her specialty.
—Giana Levy, Refinery29, 10 Apr. 2025
Grande, 31, entered the SAG Awards with a score of nominations for portraying Glinda in Wicked, one of 2024's most popular movies.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portraying
Verb
-
But that’s too pat a way of describing something so slippery and alive.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
-
While that excitement still defines the event, the phrase may work better today describing the frenzy of fans trying to get to the actual games.—
DeMarco Williams,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Several of these texts mentioned anointing statues of Greek and Roman deities—including one depicting Artemis, the Greek goddess of wild animals, in Sicily.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
20 Mar. 2025
-
The education campaign featured online illustrations depicting a Black mother, child and teenager suffering from the consequences of the mother’s marijuana usage.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
The Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Then something strange happened — the Falcons started playing like one of the best defenses in the league.—
Josh Kendall,
The Athletic,
26 Dec. 2024
-
Deion Sanders began his NFL career with the Falcons in 1989, also playing baseball for the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves well into the 1990s.—
Dan Pompei,
The Athletic,
26 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The Advent wreath is a circular garland of evergreen branches representing eternity.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Dec. 2024
-
Billings, a metric representing cardholder spending, was up by about 6% from a year ago.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
In contrast, immigration and national security are his highest-performing issues, with 53% and 51% of voters approving of his handling of them.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2025
-
When senior director of player personnel Matt Hogan finds a player on the waiver wire or assistant general manager Gavin Dickey has the latest on a well-performing minor-leaguer, Brown offers the same response.—
Chandler Rome,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In its latest action addressing broader issues, the El Cajon City Council on Tuesday voted against the state bill that would change rules about justifiable homicide and unanimously adopted a resolution defining antisemitism and promoting nondiscrimination of all residents.—
Gary Warth,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
-
The company enjoyed a strong reputation for delivering the defining films of the first major action era until its demise nearly 30 years ago in 1995.—
Chris Yogerst,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Physicians' expertise remains indispensable in interpreting AI findings within the broader clinical context.—
Paul Kovalenko,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
-
In addition to providing data analysis, AI assists in interpreting campaign results, delivering actionable insights that help fuel confident decision-making and stronger outcomes for client partners.—
Manuel Machado,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portraying. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share