depiction

noun

de·​pic·​tion di-ˈpik-shən How to pronounce depiction (audio)
dē-
plural depictions
: a representation in words or images of someone or something
The book is fascinating in its depiction of the country's early history.
The first part of the book … is a depiction of the nearly lost world of a North American hunter-gatherer community.Timothy Egan
The late Vermont artist Stephen Huneck made works that are instantly recognizable—bright, accessible, folky depictions of dogs enjoying themselves.James Heflin
By comparison with the depiction of domesticity in such 1950s staples as The Donna Reed Show and Ozzie and Harriet, the portrait of family life on The Dick Van Dyke Show, the emblematic sitcom of the early 1960s, seemed staggering in its sheer smartness and casual elegance.Bruce Bawer

Examples of depiction in a Sentence

the set piece of the novel is a depiction of the battle that makes readers feel like they were there
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
One of the most fascinating parts of the depiction of the trio is how both history and insecurity shape our friendships, and both Laurie and Jaclyn’s feelings are partly born of their own inner demons. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2025 Their relatively young ages and social differences contribute to their doomed romance, but Brontë’s novel is more often defined by its depiction of cruelty and morality within the rigid English class system. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2025 The book contains depictions of characters, both good and evil, in a fairy world. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025 Errors like these in TV depictions reduce autopsies to ghoulish spectacles, when the procedure is in fact a respectful and uniquely useful tool for understanding how a person lived and died. Samuel Ashworth, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for depiction

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depiction was in 1688

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Cite this Entry

“Depiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depiction. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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