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

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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

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

DNA’s nucleotides are often represented by the letters A, T, C and G for adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine.
Here’s why COVID-19 vaccines like Pfizer’s need to be kept so cold|Tina Hesman Saey|November 20, 2020|Science News
Still, it represents just 5 percent of all LGBTQ funding in the country.
Today Is Transgender Day Of Remembrance|Kirsten West Savali|November 20, 2020|Essence.com
It represents and defines the center of gravity in the party, even as that center of gravity may shift.
The Republican Party’s future: Being terrorized by its unhinged base|Paul Waldman|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Online court records did not list an attorney representing Sofidiya.
Man arrested on charges he shot and killed his brother|Clarence Williams|November 20, 2020|Washington Post

The employees who are positive for the virus represent nearly a third of the workers the union represents at the facility.
Smithsonian museums, zoo to close as coronavirus caseload in D.C. region hits record for 16th day|Dana Hedgpeth, Ovetta Wiggins|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Still, for all of this, South Carolina is now represented in the U.S. Senate by Tim Scott, a Republican and an African-American.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern|Lloyd Green|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Kirill represented the Moscow Patriarchate at the World Council of Churches in the early 1970s.
Remembering the Russian Priest Who Fought the Orthodox Church|Cathy Young|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Vernetta Alston was one of the attorneys who represented McCollum.
How the U.S. Justice System Screws Prisoners with Disabilities|Elizabeth Picciuto|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Had he been competently represented, the jury might well have failed to concur on a death sentence.
How the U.S. Justice System Screws Prisoners with Disabilities|Elizabeth Picciuto|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That goes for its contemporary membership roster as well as for the photographers represented in the exhibition.
A History of Paris in 150 Photographs|Sarah Moroz|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Life is represented as struggling to free herself from the gross earthly forms that cling to her.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Not suspecting her motive, he represented the hazard of putting so great an affront on the favourite of the Empress.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
Impersonation absolutely requires the finest detail of mannerism to be represented in the action.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
It is curious to note children's first manifestations of a sense of the pathetic and the comic as represented in art.
Children's Ways|James Sully
He was six feet ten inches in height, and his strength is represented to have been prodigious.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell

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

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