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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of portray
The film portrays the Mile End music scene that birthed artists like Mac DeMarco, Arcade Fire and Grimes, as Grace grapples with romantic obsession and finding her voice as a writer.
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Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Harris, meanwhile, has portrayed herself as a direct, consistent advocate for reproductive health and rights, including Black maternal health.
—Geoff Mulvihill, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
Murphy’s initial involvement in the film came at the behest of actress and producer Catherine Davis, a devoted George Clinton fan who first approached Murphy about his interest in portraying Clinton onscreen.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Her reincarnations of Madonna and Child portray Black mothers’ experiences of bodily autonomy and safety, which are often denied under a white supremacist regime.
—Shameekia Shantel Johnson, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for portray 
Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Harris, meanwhile, has portrayed herself as a direct, consistent advocate for reproductive health and rights, including Black maternal health.
—Geoff Mulvihill, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
Murphy’s initial involvement in the film came at the behest of actress and producer Catherine Davis, a devoted George Clinton fan who first approached Murphy about his interest in portraying Clinton onscreen.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Her reincarnations of Madonna and Child portray Black mothers’ experiences of bodily autonomy and safety, which are often denied under a white supremacist regime.
—Shameekia Shantel Johnson, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for portray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portray
Verb
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All told, the mass deportations Trump has described could cost $150 billion to $350 billion, immigration experts said.Russell Contreras, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
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The Honeywell space heater also has dozens of glowing ratings from shoppers who describe it as quiet and warm.Casey Clark, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
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These problems are characterized by algorithms that can solve them in a time that increases polynomially with the input size.Suvarna Krishnan, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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The weighted pack can help pull your shoulders back, mitigating some of the effects of upper crossed syndrome, a condition characterized by tightness and weakness in the muscles of the neck, upper back, and shoulders, Blinch says.Alyssa Ages, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
Verb
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In the book, Dave depicted Toph (short for Christopher) as a guileless kid, the personification of hope.Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024
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This all changed a few years ago, when Seagate launched hard drives depicting Lucasfilm and Marvel characters and themes.PCMAG, PCMAG, 17 Nov. 2024
Verb
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As a student ambassador for Wolf Lab, Bailey plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between students and innovative learning experiences, fostering a culture of curiosity and collaboration.Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024
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Akana's mother, Joselyn, played for Hawaii from 1993-96.Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Bee Cave City Council gave the city manager the reins in hiring counsel to represent the city in the upcoming industrial park case.Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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Indiana businesses pay $1.5 billion in business personal property taxes, which represents 15% of the total property tax revenue collected statewide.Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Students from College of Adaptive Arts will sing the opening National Anthem and perform a special cheer routine during the game.Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
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Latin music icon Marc Anthony performed and executive produced a special segment with salsa great Sergio George to pay homage to the tropical music genre.Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Chan shares that the reactions were a mixed bag—some millennials felt slighted, interpreting the playful tone as a critique of their generation, while others related and shared their own experiences in a lighthearted manner.Melissa Fleur Afshar, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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Organizations need mechanisms in place to synthesize, visualize and interpret relevant and timely insights.Swapna Sathyan, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Shout out to our friends at TMZ who did the most insightful original reporting.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
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Local health officials are working to reach everyone who may have had contact with the infected individual, and they are expected to do so in this case, said Preston Merchant, a spokesman for the San Mateo County health department.Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portray. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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