portray

[ pawr-trey ]

verb (used with object)

1. to make a likeness of by drawing, painting, carving, or the like.

   Synonyms: limn, delineate, picture

2. to depict in words; describe graphically.

   Synonyms: limn, delineate, picture

3. to represent dramatically, as on the stage:

   He portrayed Napoleon in the play.

portray

/ pɔːˈtreɪ /

verb

1. to represent in a painting, drawing, sculpture, etc; make a portrait of
2. to make a verbal picture of; depict in words
3. to play the part of (a character) in a play or film

Derived Forms

• porˈtrayer, noun
• porˈtrayal, noun
• porˈtrayable, adjective

Other Words From

• por·tray·a·ble adjective
• por·tray·er noun
• non·por·tray·a·ble adjective
• pre·por·tray verb (used with object)
• un·por·tray·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of portray¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English portrayen, from Middle French portraire, from Late Latin prōtrahere “to depict,” Latin: “to draw forth,” equivalent to prō- pro- ¹ + trahere “to draw”

Word History and Origins

Origin of portray¹

C14: from Old French portraire to depict, from Latin prōtrahere to drag forth, bring to light, from pro- ¹+ trahere to drag

Synonym Study

See depict.

Example Sentences

Following Shore’s saying that if you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism, the show’s creators thought it was important to portray how autism manifests in different ways.

From Los Angeles Times

We still live in a sea of cultural messages that portray women as the ones trying to build relationships with supposedly reluctant men.

From Salon

Made for Amsterdam's Arquebusiers Guild Hall, Rembrandt van Rijn's 1642 oil painting is one of the earliest to portray a group in action.

From BBC

So, Garcia focused on his opponent’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to progressive candidates and causes, attempting to portray him as a far-left mega-donor using his personal wealth to try to buy a congressional seat.

From Los Angeles Times

Yang has been known to portray the iceberg that sank the Titanic or the adorable Thai pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng.

From Salon

Related Words

• characterize
• depict
• describe
• illustrate
• interpret
• paint
• render