represent
Americanverb (used with object)
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to serve to express, designate, stand for, or denote, as a word, symbol, or the like does; symbolize.
In this painting the cat represents evil and the bird, good.
- Synonyms:
- exemplify
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to express or designate by some term, character, symbol, or the like.
to represent musical sounds by notes.
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to stand or act in the place of, as a substitute, proxy, or agent does.
He represents the company in Boston.
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to speak and act for by delegated authority.
to represent one's government in a foreign country.
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to act for or in behalf of (a constituency, state, etc.) by deputed right in exercising a voice in legislation or government.
He represents Chicago's third Congressional district.
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to portray or depict; present the likeness of, as a picture does.
The painting represents him as a man 22 years old.
- Synonyms:
- delineate
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to present or picture to the mind.
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to present in words; set forth; describe; state.
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to set forth or describe as having a particular character (usually followed by as, to be, etc.).
The article represented the dictator as a benevolent despot.
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to set forth clearly or earnestly with a view to influencing opinion or action or making protest.
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to present, produce, or perform, as on a stage.
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to impersonate, as in acting.
- Synonyms:
- portray
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to serve as an example or specimen of; exemplify.
a genus represented by two species.
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to be the equivalent of; correspond to.
The llama of the New World represents the camel of the Old World.
verb (used without object)
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to protest; make representations against.
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Slang. to use or display a secret handshake, sign, gesture, etc., for purposes of identification.
The gang members always represent when they see one another.
verb
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to stand as an equivalent of; correspond to
our tent represents home to us when we go camping
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to act as a substitute or proxy (for)
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to act as or be the authorized delegate or agent for (a person, country, etc)
an MP represents his constituency
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to serve or use as a means of expressing
letters represent the sounds of speech
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to exhibit the characteristics of; exemplify; typify
romanticism in music is represented by Beethoven
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to present an image of through the medium of a picture or sculpture; portray
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to bring clearly before the mind
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to set forth in words; state or explain
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to describe as having a specified character or quality; make out to be
he represented her as a saint
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to act out the part of on stage; portray
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to perform or produce (a play); stage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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representabilitynoun
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prerepresentverb (used with object)
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nonrepresentableadjective
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representableadjective
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unrepresentableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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representsimple
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representssimple
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have representedperfect
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has representedperfect
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am representingprogressive
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are representingprogressive
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is representingprogressive
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have been representingperfect progressive
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has been representingperfect progressive
Past
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representedsimple
-
had representedperfect
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was representingprogressive
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were representingprogressive
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had been representingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of represent
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English representen, from Middle French representer, from Latin repraesentāre “to bring about immediately, make present,” equivalent to re- re- ( def. ) + praesentāre “to present 2 ( def. ) ”
Explanation
Use the word represent when something stands in for something else — whether it's your congressman representing your interests in Washington or the thimble that represents you as it makes its way around the Monopoly board. We live in a democracy in which we elect a few people to represent the wishes and desires of the rest of us. Their job is literally to "re-present" the voters' demands in Congress. That's why we call them our "representatives." In the world of art, however, to represent something can mean to express its essence by means of something different. For example a ball of string can represent, or symbolize, a cat.
Vocabulary lists containing represent
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 3
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List 6
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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.
See Examples For:
But some residents say the giant statue is not the best way to represent the Catholic faith, in a country already peppered with religious monuments, including numerous memorials to Polish pope John Paul II.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Scalia said the justices do not represent the full country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Rogue AIs going unsupervised for days, hacking at least one company, represent one of the first real-world examples of a threat long feared by AI safety researchers: loss of control.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The new findings raise the possibility that some of those fossils may actually represent numerous species that have yet to be recognized.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
“This pledge does represent a sacrifice. I am already committed to a fifty-dollar Liberty Bond.”
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
French lawyer Vincent Brengarth, who represents NGOs alleging war crimes in Sudan, said Chad's withdrawal undermined the prospects of those responsible being brought to justice.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The pact represents Peacock’s largest wholesale distribution agreement to date, one that will introduce the service into millions of new homes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
The act was opposed by the Real Estate Board of New York, a lobbying group that represents the real-estate industry, including brokers.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who represents Seattle, added: "Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this senseless violence," she wrote on social media.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
For the Romantics, love drives you crazy, and the Mona Lisa represents the highest form of insanity.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Reaching Q2 for the first time this season represented genuine progress for Aston Martin.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Yet physicians would join only if the AMA more faithfully represented their views.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Bernie Sanders, the nation’s most prominent identified democratic socialist, has represented Vermont in the House or the Senate since 1990.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
However, scientists lacked enough comparative material and anatomical research to determine exactly what kind of giant salamander the bones represented.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
Bertillon’s work represented the beginning of forensic science.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Now, Realtor.com has learned that the deal has officially closed at a much higher price, with Thomas Atamian of Coldwell Banker Realty representing Duhamel, while Andrew Pearce with Sotheby’s International Realty worked with the buyer.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Shakeel Mohamed, 61, has been representing the Yashio mosque in Saitama prefecture for the past decade.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
His progression to the senior Commonwealth Games comes after representing Scotland at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The excerpts come from Cooper’s March 19, 2025, deposition, which surfaced last month in a court filing by attorneys representing Drakeo’s family in a civil lawsuit against festival organizers and security contractors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Older trainees sat in risers and held banners representing each Paragon.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
