1
as in to characterize
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group the writer of the magazine article represented the students at the academy as a bunch of spoiled brats

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2
as in to depict
to present a picture of a painting representing the ocean at sunrise

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3
as in to symbolize
to serve as a material counterpart of this orange represents the sun and this pea represents the Earth

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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 represent Turner didn’t represent Jones in the Clippers negotiation. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025 According to the trade publication Good Fruit Grower, stores with apples like the McIntosh, Red Delicious, and Gala representing a majority of their stock underperform compared to those stocking a majority of club apples like Jazz, Ambrosia, and SweeTango. Mark Dent, HubSpot, 12 Sep. 2025 To me, Disney represents family moments. Essence, 12 Sep. 2025 Established jointly by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health and Human Services, the RDA represents the minimum amount of a nutrient that must be eaten by a relatively sedentary person to meet their basic needs. Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for represent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for represent
Verb
  • An increasing number of boys are lonely, isolated and confused, wrestling with the aftermath of the #MeToo movement and the expectations of rigid masculinity, which has been widely characterized as toxic.
    Don Riddell, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Davey characterizes the Longbow strategy as flexible.
    James Morris, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Children play with a ball in front of a mural depicting the Brazilian World Cup football team at the Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro on November 23, 2022.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Christy costars Ben Foster as Martin's manager-turned-husband James, initially depicted as loving and supportive (one shot shows Christy gleefully leaping into his arms after winning a match), but eventually revealed as possessive and dangerous.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Biden and, by extension, Harris will be remembered even and perhaps especially by Democrats as symbolizing disappointment and defeat.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Its alignment with figures like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un symbolizes the isolation and reputational decay of a regime that relies on coercion rather than consent.
    Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • More importantly, Penske also describes this dynamic as antitrust behavior from a company abusing what the federal government has already described as Google’s monopoly status in the realm of Internet search.
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Three people present described the manner of the two strangers as detached and off-putting, and said their story just did not add up.
    Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • While some Hamas apologists have portrayed the word as benign, its real meaning is undeniably violent — and not just for Israelis.
    Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Somehow, they’re portrayed as heroic trials of love, requiring sacrifice, trust and resilience.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Among them were countless era-defining releases that are still among the best movies ever made—of any genre—from the haunting Rebecca to the gripping Rear Window, and the ravishing Vertigo to the hair-raising Psycho.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Internally, the current workspace contained not only the visible text documents but also any custom words the user added to the dictionary and any additional tForth words defined in memory.
    Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Represent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/represent. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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