1
as in describes
to give a representation or account of in words
the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in characterizes
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 depicts
to present a picture of
a landscape that portrays the scenery near the town where the painter grew up
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in plays
to present a portrayal or performance of
gained fame portraying Susan B. Anthony in a one-woman show
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portrays
His pioneering work on the colonial bar portrays a profession living through extraordinary uncertainty.
—
Joseph Andrew,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
The summer’s political bestseller portrays him as a figure whose transformative potential has been utterly derailed by hubris.
—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
3 July 2026
The Justice Department portrays the group as antifa militants, while defense lawyers and civil liberties advocates warn the case could reshape how protests and free speech rights are prosecuted nationwide.
—
Jamie Stengle,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Guo portrays himself in interviews and court records as an exiled whistleblower, providing an inside account of corruption at the heart of the Chinese system.
—
Adela Suliman,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
Oscar winner Mark Rylance portrays Nobel Prize winner Geoffrey Hinton.
—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
30 June 2026
Matty Matheson, who portrays Neil Fak and serves as the show’s culinary consultant, initially believed taking props was off limits after receiving an email asking to refrain from removing anything from the show.
—
Kirsten Acuna,
PEOPLE,
29 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
That’s key considering the film’s hard-to-classify nature, in which Early, first of all playing a woman, portrays an aspiring food influencer and content creator who is struggling with an eating disorder.
—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
24 June 2026
Joseph Andrew,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
The summer’s political bestseller portrays him as a figure whose transformative potential has been utterly derailed by hubris.
—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
3 July 2026
The Justice Department portrays the group as antifa militants, while defense lawyers and civil liberties advocates warn the case could reshape how protests and free speech rights are prosecuted nationwide.
—
Jamie Stengle,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Guo portrays himself in interviews and court records as an exiled whistleblower, providing an inside account of corruption at the heart of the Chinese system.
—
Adela Suliman,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
Oscar winner Mark Rylance portrays Nobel Prize winner Geoffrey Hinton.
—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
30 June 2026
Matty Matheson, who portrays Neil Fak and serves as the show’s culinary consultant, initially believed taking props was off limits after receiving an email asking to refrain from removing anything from the show.
—
Kirsten Acuna,
PEOPLE,
29 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
That’s key considering the film’s hard-to-classify nature, in which Early, first of all playing a woman, portrays an aspiring food influencer and content creator who is struggling with an eating disorder.
—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrays
Verb
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The Anti-Defamation League describes Patriot Front as a white supremacist group.
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Staying home might not readily provide the intoxicating beauty Emerson describes.
Verb
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Resilience characterizes many young basketball players at SCC Dixon said.
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Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.
Verb
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The reverse depicts the Liberty Bell ringing, with the bell's crack visible.
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Of particular interest is Stele 1, which depicts a decapitation scene, as well as a calendrical sign with the date 5 Ajaw (849 CE).
Verb
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Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on July 4 in Philly, and the winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
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Emma D'Arcy plays the adult version of the character across all three seasons.
Verb
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The county performs about 14,000 inspections annually and about 97% of establishments pass, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee.
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This super-simple dessert performs a delicious magic trick in the oven—the berries sink and the topping rises, yielding a stunning summery treat.
Verb
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Operators assign a destination, and the onboard software plans routes, interprets terrain, and controls the vehicle without continuous human input.
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An IoT pilot can prove a signal exists, but scale requires an operating compact that names who interprets it, who acts, who funds upkeep and who owns exceptions.
Verb
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For borrowers, this often represents an opportunity to negotiate a dramatically lower payoff amount.
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Our relationship represents a certain amount of hope and risk.
Cite this Entry
“Portrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrays. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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