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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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
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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
Not every black hole is constantly ‘eating’ Popular culture often portrays black holes as cosmic vacuum cleaners that endlessly swallow everything nearby.
—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
29 June 2026
The democratic socialists have embraced policies that reject free-market economics, advocate enormous expansions of government power and portray capitalism itself as inherently oppressive.
—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2026
In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party has opportunistically seized on air-conditioning, portraying it as an urgent quality-of-life issue that moralizing environmentalists and overreaching technocrats have ignored.
—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
28 June 2026
Michael is a 2026 biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua, in which Jackson portrays his uncle, Michael Jackson.
—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for portray
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
29 June 2026
The democratic socialists have embraced policies that reject free-market economics, advocate enormous expansions of government power and portray capitalism itself as inherently oppressive.
—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2026
In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party has opportunistically seized on air-conditioning, portraying it as an urgent quality-of-life issue that moralizing environmentalists and overreaching technocrats have ignored.
—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
28 June 2026
Michael is a 2026 biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua, in which Jackson portrays his uncle, Michael Jackson.
—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for portray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portray
Verb
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Tribes describe the last of three waves of European incursions, nearly 85 years after Serra hung the first Mission bell in San Diego in 1769, as the most brutal.
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Rodríguez described scenes of children hospitalized with amputations and survivors grieving multiple family deaths.
Verb
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To characterize the new mode, Kyle Uckert, SHERLOC’s deputy principal investigator at NASA’s JPL, and his colleagues collected spectra from spare flight optics in their own lab.
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The standoff forces the platform to weigh compliance against a potentially expanding pattern of government control over social media — a tension that has also characterized India’s years-long friction with X over content-takedown orders.
Verb
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The world drew heavily from the paintings of fantasy illustrator Frank Frazetta, who depicted scenes of barbarians and beasts in conflict, of pulp fiction heroes, femme fatales, and fierce warrior women.
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Another star at a similar distance from Earth is Bellatrix, which shines at the left shoulder of the celestial hunter depicted in the constellation Orion.
Verb
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Win prizes playing interactive games, network with artists and entrepreneurs and enjoy signature drinks and bar snacks available for purchase.
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Men leaders can pay attention to and be mindful of who in the workplace may be playing more of an emotional support role that falls outside their job description.
Verb
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The prices are high enough that health care spending represents 18% of the nation’s gross domestic product.
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The Balboa Peninsula, which Stapleton represents on the council, has historically been an infamous hot spot for public drinking, disruptive parties and brawls throughout the summer and especially during the Fourth of July.
Verb
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The superstar performed at Inglewood’s Kia Forum on Monday, as well as last night, on her Lux Tour.
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Sources told Rolling Stone that Stevie Nicks, a longtime friend of Swift, will be present at the ceremony — and another said that the singer-songwriter would perform on the special day.
Verb
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The concerns now being raised by faculty should not be interpreted as proof that admissions policies have failed, and the causes of declining academic preparation extend well beyond admissions offices.
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For Ocasio-Cortez and Schumer, the race will be interpreted through the lens of their relative influence as Democratic Party power brokers.
Verb
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The divergence is over whether the worker shortage is improving slowly or still getting worse, and what the Supreme Court should do about it.
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The band is forced into doing take after take in his quest to fully convey his own emotions.
Cite this Entry
“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portray. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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