portrayal

noun

por·​tray·​al pȯr-ˈtrā(-ə)l How to pronounce portrayal (audio)
pər-
Synonyms of portrayalnext
1
: the act or process or an instance of portraying : representation
2

Examples of portrayal in a Sentence

his novel presents a moving portrayal of a woman searching for personal fulfillment and happiness
Recent Examples on the Web
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None of the character interpretations are tied to any prior film actor’s portrayal. Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 Reaction from the Jackson family has also been pretty mixed, with some of them backing the movie completely and others, like Jackson’s daughter Paris, being very critical of the portrayal. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 15 May 2026 Advertisement Throughout the narrative, Johnson never flinches in his portrayal of the wreck, unleashing footage of investigators approaching the car and the victims’ families. Jake King-Schreifels, Time, 15 May 2026 Hammond points to his own portrayal of Bill Clinton as an example. Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for portrayal

Word History

Etymology

portray + -al entry 2

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of portrayal was in 1843

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portrayal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portrayal. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

portrayal

noun
por·​tray·​al pōr-ˈtrā(-ə)l How to pronounce portrayal (audio)
pȯr-
1
: the act or process of portraying : representation
2

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