portray
Americanverb (used with object)
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portrays,
present (3rd person singular)
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portrayed,
past participle, past
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portraying
present participle
verb
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to represent in a painting, drawing, sculpture, etc; make a portrait of
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to make a verbal picture of; depict in words
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to play the part of (a character) in a play or film
Synonym Usage
See depict.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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portrayalnoun
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portrayernoun
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preportrayverb (used with object)
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nonportrayableadjective
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portrayableadjective
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unportrayableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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portraysimple
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portrayssimple
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have portrayedperfect
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has portrayedperfect
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am portrayingprogressive
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are portrayingprogressive
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is portrayingprogressive
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have been portrayingperfect progressive
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has been portrayingperfect progressive
Past
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portrayedsimple
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had portrayedperfect
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was portrayingprogressive
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were portrayingprogressive
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had been portrayingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of portray
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”
Explanation
When you paint a picture of someone, either in words or in paint, you portray them. Actors portray characters too. Whether you're talking about acting or another art form, the idea is the same: representing a person and bringing to light their most important qualities. To portray a person is to show who that person is, giving a sense of their personality or character. Often, famous people don't like how they're portrayed. For example, Presidents usually hate how they're portrayed in editorial cartoons. When you portray someone, you can be positive or negative, accurate or inaccurate. It's up to you.
Vocabulary lists containing portray
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 6
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 4
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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:
She sought to portray them as sleazy and pointedly decided to lean into an argument of recent months about Englishness.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
"Runaway Train" star Eric Roberts, who saw his own Cameo footage similarly distorted to portray him attacking Democrats over transgender issues, told AFP the statements "are not my words and do not represent my beliefs."
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
His work embodies the principle of cross-cultural beneficence—the Ottoman Orient able to portray itself faithfully thanks to Western influence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
In the Harry Potter movies, multiple actors portray the antagonist at various ages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Photographs from Ernest’s adolescence portray a handsome young boy, with his mother’s full lips and his father’s expressive blue eyes.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
But his new film, Primetime, takes him in a completely new direction - as he portrays the real-life host of American TV show, To Catch a Predator.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
"The Social Reckoning" portrays Zuckerberg as an adult, a role played by Jeremy Strong.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
“We remain fearless in identifying as Sikhs — even when our government portrays us as enemies,” the coalition wrote on X.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Sometimes he portrays her as a shrew, whining last year about how he’d be “in trouble” if he forgot to mention their anniversary during a speech.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026
Still, I believe that this book as a whole truthfully portrays Fannie Sellins’s life and her commitment to working people.
From "Fannie Never Flinched" by Mary Cronk Farrell
Jones recently portrayed Mrs Bennet in another comedy series, The Other Bennet Sister, which was inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, while Corden has just finished a stint on Broadway.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
In their speeches since the meeting, Fed officials have portrayed the hike as a cautious one.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
“The justice often publicly portrayed as unyielding and inflexible is, behind the scenes, the conservative who is uniquely adept at finding common ground on the most divisive issues.”
From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2026
While Cage has not appeared in MCU movies, he has portrayed a number of Marvel characters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Mkentane portrayed his namesake, while I played John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s assassin.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
The findings add to a growing body of research portraying Neanderthals as resourceful humans who understood and exploited the natural materials around them.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
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
For both actors, the script presented physical challenges in portraying the bodily changes their characters undergo over the years.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 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
Those who knew Malcolm X Shabazz personally wanted to be sure that the negative myth around his memory would be erased by portraying the truths of his mission, and the depth of his heart.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
