portray

[pawr-trey]

verb (used with object)

1. to make a likeness of by drawing, painting, carving, or the like.

   Synonyms: limn, delineate, picture

2. to depict in words; describe graphically.

   Synonyms: limn, delineate, picture

3. to represent dramatically, as on the stage.

   He portrayed Napoleon in the play.

portray

/ pɔːˈtreɪ /

verb

1. to represent in a painting, drawing, sculpture, etc; make a portrait of

2. to make a verbal picture of; depict in words

3. to play the part of (a character) in a play or film

Other Word Forms

• portrayer noun
• portrayal noun
• portrayable adjective
• nonportrayable adjective
• preportray verb (used with object)
• unportrayable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of portray¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English portrayen, from Middle French portraire, from Late Latin prōtrahere “to depict,” Latin: “to draw forth,” equivalent to prō- pro- ¹ + trahere “to draw”

Word History and Origins

Origin of portray¹

C14: from Old French portraire to depict, from Latin prōtrahere to drag forth, bring to light, from _pro- ¹ + trahere to drag

Synonym Study

See depict.

Example Sentences

Bessent portrayed the latest restrictions as a repudiation of everything that the U.S. and China have been working on for the past six months and noted the move impacted the rest of the world.

Read more on Barron's

Bishop served as an executive producer on the film and said it was "very hard to put into words" the feeling of watching his life portrayed on-screen.

Read more on Barron's

“He is literally that guy that he portrays himself as,” Hit says about his father’s actions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This season, there’s no confusion, with the president’s own photo-animated head — they get a lot of comic expression out of it — on the sort of boxy bodies they use to portray Canadians.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He then pivoted to defend his economic strategy against fears of a market downturn, portraying the U.S. as impervious to pressure.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• characterize 
• depict 
• describe 
• illustrate 
• interpret 
• paint 
• render