represent
Americanverb (used with object)
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to serve to express, designate, stand for, or denote, as a word, symbol, or the like does; symbolize.
In this painting the cat represents evil and the bird, good.
- Synonyms:
- exemplify
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to express or designate by some term, character, symbol, or the like.
to represent musical sounds by notes.
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to stand or act in the place of, as a substitute, proxy, or agent does.
He represents the company in Boston.
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to speak and act for by delegated authority.
to represent one's government in a foreign country.
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to act for or in behalf of (a constituency, state, etc.) by deputed right in exercising a voice in legislation or government.
He represents Chicago's third Congressional district.
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to portray or depict; present the likeness of, as a picture does.
The painting represents him as a man 22 years old.
- Synonyms:
- delineate
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to present or picture to the mind.
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to present in words; set forth; describe; state.
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to set forth or describe as having a particular character (usually followed by as, to be, etc.).
The article represented the dictator as a benevolent despot.
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to set forth clearly or earnestly with a view to influencing opinion or action or making protest.
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to present, produce, or perform, as on a stage.
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to impersonate, as in acting.
- Synonyms:
- portray
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to serve as an example or specimen of; exemplify.
a genus represented by two species.
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to be the equivalent of; correspond to.
The llama of the New World represents the camel of the Old World.
verb (used without object)
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to protest; make representations against.
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Slang. to use or display a secret handshake, sign, gesture, etc., for purposes of identification.
The gang members always represent when they see one another.
verb
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to stand as an equivalent of; correspond to
our tent represents home to us when we go camping
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to act as a substitute or proxy (for)
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to act as or be the authorized delegate or agent for (a person, country, etc)
an MP represents his constituency
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to serve or use as a means of expressing
letters represent the sounds of speech
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to exhibit the characteristics of; exemplify; typify
romanticism in music is represented by Beethoven
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to present an image of through the medium of a picture or sculpture; portray
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to bring clearly before the mind
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to set forth in words; state or explain
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to describe as having a specified character or quality; make out to be
he represented her as a saint
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to act out the part of on stage; portray
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to perform or produce (a play); stage
Other Word Forms
- nonrepresentable adjective
- prerepresent verb (used with object)
- representability noun
- representable adjective
- unrepresentable adjective
Etymology
Origin of represent
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English representen, from Middle French representer, from Latin repraesentāre “to bring about immediately, make present,” equivalent to re- re- ( def. ) + praesentāre “to present 2 ( def. ) ”
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.
“There is still a large stock of previously troubled, somewhat recovered assets that have yet to be exited and could represent future default/capital loss risk,” Dodd says.
From Barron's
The union represents more than 30,000 district employees, including teacher aides, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, computer techs, custodians and gardeners.
From Los Angeles Times
“Public streets and building names are meant to honor individuals who uplifted our community and represented its highest values,” he wrote on Facebook.
From Los Angeles Times
Of the teams who competed in the last 16 of the Champions League, the top eight players with the most minutes all represented Premier League clubs, with Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk top.
From BBC
They represented shopkeepers, street sweepers, a factory owner, a canal bargeman—all people who had realized during Father’s illness what he meant to them.
From Literature
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.
