portray
to make a likeness of by drawing, painting, carving, or the like.
to depict in words; describe graphically.
to represent dramatically, as on the stage: He portrayed Napoleon in the play.
Origin of portray
1synonym study For portray
Other words for portray
Other words from portray
- por·tray·a·ble, adjective
- por·tray·er, noun
- non·por·tray·a·ble, adjective
- pre·por·tray, verb (used with object)
- un·por·tray·a·ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use portray in a sentence
The victories were portrayed at the time as a potential sea change in the world of Alaska politics, where more than 57% of registered voters have declined to publicly choose a party but Republicans win most statewide races.
Alaska’s “Him Too” Moment: When Politicians and Allies Come With Accusations of Their Own | by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News and Greg Kim, KYUK | October 23, 2020 | ProPublicaHe hopes to do so by portraying himself as a fresh face who can bring change, and to define Peters as unacceptable in some way.
She is portrayed staring longingly at children attending a school at which she is paid to perform, but which she can’t afford to attend.
A documentary and a Bollywood film highlight two disparate paths in mathematics | Emily Conover | October 15, 2020 | Science NewsRepublicans, meanwhile, tried to turn the tables on Democrats and portray them as partisan actors bent on painting a qualified nominee as a political hack.
The Battle Lines Are Set After The First Day Of The Amy Coney Barrett Hearings | Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux (Amelia.Thomson-DeVeaux@abc.com) | October 12, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightThe campaigns have signaled that they do not want to risk being portrayed as afraid to show up for a debate, concerned it could be cast as a sign of weakness.
VP debate to feature plexiglass barriers to increase safety | Chelsea Janes, Josh Dawsey, Matt Viser | October 6, 2020 | Washington Post
Were you playing up or, on the flip side, shying away from portraying a romantic attraction?
Inside the Lifetime Whitney Houston Movie’s Lesbian Lover Storyline | Kevin Fallon | December 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOr one portraying the former KGB officer as a superhero surrounded by doves?
There's a huge difference between portraying these young women as relatable and making them seem unremarkable.
Do you feel they did an ample job of portraying his troubled later years—in particular, the violence towards women?
Octavia Spencer on Hollywood and Race: The Film Roles I’m Offered Are Too Small | Marlow Stern | July 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhat goes into portraying one of the most terrifying villains on TV?
OITNB’s New Villain Vee, Played By Lorraine Toussaint, Speaks for the First Time | Kevin Fallon | June 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThen they both looked at another miniature portraying him riding one lamb, while he was decking another with ribbons.
Napoleon's Young Neighbor | Helen Leah ReedWas it necessary to glorify his acts, then it was done by portraying him as Cyrus or Alexander.
The History of Modern Painting, Volume 1 (of 4) | Richard MutherWe have studiously avoided portraying fashionable life according to the vulgar notions, whether depreciatory or panegyrical.
He is not experimenting; he is not speaking of theories; he is portraying to us what was his everyday life.
On Prayer and The Contemplative Life | St. Thomas AquinasFor a long time they continued to be favourite secondary themes, introduced in portraying the destiny of heroes.
Elements of Folk Psychology | Wilhelm Wundt
British Dictionary definitions for portray
/ (pɔːˈtreɪ) /
to represent in a painting, drawing, sculpture, etc; make a portrait of
to make a verbal picture of; depict in words
to play the part of (a character) in a play or film
Origin of portray
1Derived forms of portray
- portrayable, adjective
- portrayal, noun
- portrayer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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