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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Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Meanwhile, Ritter portrays Julian in the reboot of Matlock, which follows Kathy Bates’ character, Madeline Matlock, who rejoins the law workforce as a senior.
—
Charna Flam, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Forlani will portray Cordelia Hanani-Spyrka, a corporate PR heavy-hitter.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2025
For Tandy, portraying Fela meant stepping into the shoes of a woman whose true intentions remain unclear until the film’s final moments—adding layers of tension and intrigue to the story.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 31 Mar. 2025
Good American Family, released on March 19, stars Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass as Kristine and Michael Barnett, while 27-year-old Imogen Faith Reid portrays Natalia.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portray
Charna Flam, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Forlani will portray Cordelia Hanani-Spyrka, a corporate PR heavy-hitter.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2025
For Tandy, portraying Fela meant stepping into the shoes of a woman whose true intentions remain unclear until the film’s final moments—adding layers of tension and intrigue to the story.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 31 Mar. 2025
Good American Family, released on March 19, stars Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass as Kristine and Michael Barnett, while 27-year-old Imogen Faith Reid portrays Natalia.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portray
Verb
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Some of your co-stars have described treacherous filming conditions in Thailand.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2025
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Several Idaho Latinos described listening to Reggaeton music since childhood with family and friends.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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While central New South Wales is now characterized by plains and plateaus, during the Miocene, the region was surrounded by lush rainforests, according to the study.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
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Cold Creek was planted in the 1970s and exists as one of the state’s oldest vineyards; its fruit is characterized by ripe fruit intensity which the winery balances by picking the grapes over a four week period to showcase varying sweetness levels for a complex palate in flavor and structure.—
Jillian Dara,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The older pair are named Romulus and Remus after the mythological founders of Rome, who are traditionally depicted as being suckled by a she-wolf.—
Jon Schlosberg,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2025
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Photos depict a heartbreaking sight, with Hector’s rib cage protruding through his weakened body as red blotches line his ivory and brown coat.—
TJ Macias,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Engage Your Senses In a shared office environment, playing loud music or lighting a scented candle is frowned upon.—
Kate Wieczorek,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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The Rebellion Is Here Moss, who stars, executive produces and directs on the series, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the emotional impact of becoming a mother herself before playing June one last time for The Handmaid’s Tale.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In Figure 2, red dots represent safety or operational events.—
Sabbir Rangwala,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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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
Verb
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Tina also revealed that the officiant for the event was her minister, Rudy Rasmus, who also performed the ceremony for Tina and Solange.—
Emy LaCroix,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Like every year, Coachella will have some surprise appearances and iconic moments like last year when Will Smith performed with J Balvin, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were spotted enjoying Bleachers and Ice Spice’s sets, and No Doubt reuniting.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Hard and soft skills are synthesized so recruiting teams can better interpret experience in things like operations, adaptability, management, risk development and even preventative medicine.—
Adam Wray,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Some, however, have interpreted the caption to relate to his SNL walk-off, though Wallen hasn't confirmed it.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Due to the lack of upsets, Johnny Avello, an oddsmaker at DraftKings, said the bettor has done will this year due to a popular trend.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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No matter your best intentions, the fact remains that styles change, as do our tastes.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portray. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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