portray
verb (used with object)
to make a likeness of by drawing, painting, carving, or the like.
portraying
-
present participleof portray.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rhys said he first saw the play as a student in London more than 30 years ago and dreamed of portraying Burton ever since.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Clarke earned four Emmy nominations during “Game of Thrones’” run for portraying Daenerys Targaryen, one of the last surviving members of the family that long reigned over Westeros.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Bargatze catapulted to mainstream status after portraying a silly version of the famously reprehensible though widely respected George Washington on “SNL” without antagonizing anyone, least of all Washington.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
It stars Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway as Odysseus and his wife Penelope, with Tom Holland portraying their son Telemachus.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
In Eratosthenes’ time, globes were constructed portraying the Earth as viewed from space; they were essentially correct in the well-explored Mediterranean but became more and more inaccurate the farther they strayed from home.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
