portray
verb (used with object)
to make a likeness of by drawing, painting, carving, or the like.
is portraying
-
present progressiveof portray (3rd person singular).present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
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.
Instead, Kagan is portraying herself as a defender of a textualist status quo threatened by theories like the major-questions doctrine.
From Slate ● Mar. 4, 2026
First, as an attempt at transparency - that's certainly how Minsk is portraying it.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2025
But it matters even more when one is portraying one of the two characters in the show's title.
From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2023
Next up for the versatile actor is portraying artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in the film adaptation of the play “The Collaboration.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2022
Again, an actor may wish to "register" disgust or hatred, and yet he may convey the idea that he is portraying only fear.
From Writing the Photoplay by J. Berg (Joseph Berg) Esenwein
