depiction

noun

de·​pic·​tion di-ˈpik-shən How to pronounce depiction (audio)
dē-
plural depictions
Synonyms of depictionnext
: 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.
His live-wire performance, seemingly inspired by numerous previous screen depictions of psychopathic bad guys, infuses the proceedings with welcome kinetic energy. Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026 Leavitt said the White House doesn’t have a social media issue, but failed to offer further comment on the video featuring a depiction of the Obamas. Callum Sutherland, Time, 11 Feb. 2026 According to common depictions of his family’s dynamic, Mamdani inherited his leftist political ideology from his father, the anti-colonialist Columbia professor, and his dimpled charm and flair for the theatrical from his filmmaker mother. Rebecca Traister, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026 Carrillo took exception to this depiction, and told as much to the director, Tony Richardson, an Englishman. Alexander Nazaryan, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depiction. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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