portrayal
AmericanOther Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of portrayal
Explanation
If you like the way an actor played the role of Abraham Lincoln, you might praise his portrayal of the sixteenth president. Use the noun portrayal to describe the representation of someone, either in the form of a dramatic character, a spoken description, or even a photograph or painting of the person. You can also talk about the portrayal of an object or idea: "Dorothea Lange's photographs are an accurate portrayal of the Great Depression." The Old French word portraire, "to draw or trace," is the root of portrayal.
Vocabulary lists containing portrayal
Academy Awards, List 6
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Between Shades of Gray
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The Unmapped Sea
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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.
Gibson's portrayal focuses on a more vulnerable, less experienced version of the character.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
But Riley stressed the film is not a downer portrayal of the struggle between social classes.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
A towering performance that is also impressively contoured, Lithgow’s portrayal of dyspeptic British author Roald Dahl infuses Mark Rosenblatt’s drama with chilling mystery.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
The film’s portrayal of The Jackson 5 years aims for even rosier nostalgia, evoking memories of hearing a young Michael’s voice, cascading over the radio waves and into the hearts of millions.
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
Set in a poverty- and drug-stricken African-American fishing community in the South, Porgy and Bess was notable for its sympathetic but clear-eyed portrayal of underclass life.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
