represent

[ rep-ri-zent ]

/ ˌrɛp rɪˈzɛnt /

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See synonyms for: represent / re-presented / re-presenting / re-presents on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

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.

to express or designate by some term, character, symbol, or the like: to represent musical sounds by notes.

to stand or act in the place of, as a substitute, proxy, or agent does: He represents the company in Boston.

to speak and act for by delegated authority: to represent one's government in a foreign country.

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.

to portray or depict; present the likeness of, as a picture does: The painting represents him as a man 22 years old.

to present or picture to the mind.

to present in words; set forth; describe; state.

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.

to set forth clearly or earnestly with a view to influencing opinion or action or making protest.

to present, produce, or perform, as on a stage.

to impersonate, as in acting.

to serve as an example or specimen of; exemplify: a genus represented by two species.

to be the equivalent of; correspond to: The llama of the New World represents the camel of the Old World.

verb (used without object)

to protest; make representations against.

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR represent

1 exemplify.

6 delineate.

12 portray.

See synonyms for represent on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of represent

1325–75; Middle English representen<Middle French representer<Latin repraesentāre to bring about immediately, make present, equivalent to re-re- + praesentāre to present²

OTHER WORDS FROM represent

rep·re·sent·a·ble, adjectiverep·re·sent·a·bil·i·ty, nounnon·rep·re·sent·a·ble, adjectivepre·rep·re·sent, verb (used with object)

un·rep·re·sent·a·ble, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH represent

re-present, represent

Words nearby represent

Repplier, repr., reprehend, reprehensible, reprehension, represent, representation, representational, representationalism, representative, representatives

Other definitions for represent (2 of 2)

re-present

[ ree-pri-zent ]

/ ˌri prɪˈzɛnt /

verb (used with object)

to present again or anew.

Origin of re-present

First recorded in 1555–65; re- + present²

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH re-present

re-present , represent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use represent in a sentence

A second round of more than 30 grants is in the works, representing over $2 million more.
Want to fight climate change effectively? Here’s where to donate your money.|Sigal Samuel|September 17, 2020|Vox
Heliocene represents the moment when another life form figured out a way to tap into the potential of the sun, and adopts a name for our epoch that better centers humans within the spheres that hold us.
Dawn of the Heliocene - Issue 90: Something Green|Summer Praetorius|September 16, 2020|Nautilus
The suit was filed by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press attorneys, who are representing the Blade in the case.
Washington Blade sues Trump administration|Staff reports|September 15, 2020|Washington Blade
He said the city manager invited him to be on a review panel in October to represent the LGBTQ community in Oceanside but hasn’t heard back on details.
Oceanside Is Rethinking Its Police Chief Hiring Process Following Community Concerns|Kayla Jimenez|September 14, 2020|Voice of San Diego

Each column represents a different castle, while each row is a strategy, with the strongest performers on top and the weakest on the bottom.
Can You Reach The Summit First?|Zach Wissner-Gross|September 11, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
More to the point, Huckabee has a natural appeal to a party that has come to represent the bulk of working class white voters.
Can Huckabee Convert the GOP’s Moneymen?|Lloyd Green|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Republicans loathe public sector unions—unless they represent cops or firefighters.
The GOP and Police Unions: A Love Story|Eleanor Clift|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This year will represent the 20th anniversary of the first Running of the Santas.
Before the Bros, SantaCon Was as an Anti-Corporate Protest|David Freedlander|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For example, 51 percent of North Carolinians voted that year for a Democrat to represent them in Congress.
Seriously, Democrats: You’re Done in Dixie|Michael Tomasky|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In their elitism and sense of entitlement, they represent much of what liberals are supposed to despise.
The Rise and Fall of Chris Hughes and Sean Eldridge, America’s Worst Gay Power Couple|James Kirchick|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Little girls perhaps represent the attractive function of adornment: they like to be thought pretty.
Children's Ways|James Sully
A child's attempt to represent a man appears commonly to begin by drawing a sort of circle for the front view of the head.
Children's Ways|James Sully
The arrows represent the flow of money from each of these four categories to the others.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
In the diagram the horizontal arrows represent such mere banking operations, not true circulation.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
On the other hand, the arrows along the sides of the triangle represent actual circulation.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips

British Dictionary definitions for represent (1 of 2)

represent

/ (ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnt) /

verb (tr)

to stand as an equivalent of; correspond toour tent represents home to us when we go camping

to act as a substitute or proxy (for)

to act as or be the authorized delegate or agent for (a person, country, etc)an MP represents his constituency

to serve or use as a means of expressingletters represent the sounds of speech

to exhibit the characteristics of; exemplify; typifyromanticism in music is represented by Beethoven

to present an image of through the medium of a picture or sculpture; portray

to bring clearly before the mind

to set forth in words; state or explain

to describe as having a specified character or quality; make out to behe represented her as a saint

to act out the part of on stage; portray

to perform or produce (a play); stage

Derived forms of represent

representable, adjectiverepresentability, noun

Word Origin for represent

C14: from Latin repraesentāre to exhibit, from re- + praesentāre to present ²

British Dictionary definitions for represent (2 of 2)

re-present

/ (ˌriːprɪˈzɛnt) /

verb

(tr) to present again

Derived forms of re-present

re-presentation (ˌriːprɛzənˈteɪʃən), noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

represent

OTHER WORDS FOR represent

Origin of represent

OTHER WORDS FROM represent

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH represent

Words nearby represent

Other definitions for represent (2 of 2)

Origin of re-present

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH re-present

Words related to represent

How to use represent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for represent (1 of 2)

Derived forms of represent

Word Origin for represent

British Dictionary definitions for represent (2 of 2)

Derived forms of re-present