portrayed

American  

[pawr-treyd] / pɔrˈtreɪd /

adjective

1. represented in drawing, painting, carving, or other visual image.

   The range of artistic approaches to Queen Elizabeth, the most portrayed woman in the world, make the exhibit well worth seeing.

2. graphically described in words.

   In the finely portrayed characters and vivid details of the rural setting, his novel illuminates a neglected piece of Jamaican history.

3. represented dramatically, as on the stage.

   Set in a richly portrayed society well-stocked with eccentric nobles and gossipy villagers, the series revolves around the daughter of a respected country doctor.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of portray.

Other Word Forms

• unportrayed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of portrayed

portray ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Musician Morris Day, who once collaborated with Prince and portrayed his musical rival in the movie "Purple Rain," also denied involvement with the event.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

The proclamation is something of a shift for Mistral, which has largely portrayed itself as a scrappy and pragmatic enterprise AI player offering tools that cater to corporate clients in domains such as manufacturing.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

These are the people who are being portrayed as the victims here.

From Slate • May 26, 2026

He has been using eye-catching images to spread his message, reposting an artificial intelligence- generated video that portrayed Bass as the Joker, the Batman villain.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Cloaking his savagery under the banner of civilization, Hale portrayed himself as an American pioneer who had helped forge a nation out of the raw wilderness.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• descriptive
• illustrated
• photographic
• visual
• vivid