represent

[ rep-ri-zent ]

verb (used with object)

1. 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

2. to express or designate by some term, character, symbol, or the like:

   to represent musical sounds by notes.

3. to stand or act in the place of, as a substitute, proxy, or agent does:

   He represents the company in Boston.

4. to speak and act for by delegated authority:

   to represent one's government in a foreign country.

5. 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.

6. to portray or depict; present the likeness of, as a picture does:

   The painting represents him as a man 22 years old.

   Synonyms: delineate

7. to present or picture to the mind.
8. to present in words; set forth; describe; state.
9. 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.

10. to set forth clearly or earnestly with a view to influencing opinion or action or making protest.
11. to present, produce, or perform, as on a stage.
12. to impersonate, as in acting.

    Synonyms: portray

13. to serve as an example or specimen of; exemplify:

    a genus represented by two species.

14. to be the equivalent of; correspond to:

    The llama of the New World represents the camel of the Old World.

verb (used without object)

1. to protest; make representations against.
2. 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.

represent

/ ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnt /

verb

1. to stand as an equivalent of; correspond to

   our tent represents home to us when we go camping

2. to act as a substitute or proxy (for)
3. to act as or be the authorized delegate or agent for (a person, country, etc)

   an MP represents his constituency

4. to serve or use as a means of expressing

   letters represent the sounds of speech

5. to exhibit the characteristics of; exemplify; typify

   romanticism in music is represented by Beethoven

6. to present an image of through the medium of a picture or sculpture; portray
7. to bring clearly before the mind
8. to set forth in words; state or explain
9. to describe as having a specified character or quality; make out to be

   he represented her as a saint

10. to act out the part of on stage; portray
11. to perform or produce (a play); stage

Derived Forms

• ˌrepreˈsentable, adjective
• ˌrepreˌsentaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• repre·senta·ble adjective
• repre·senta·bili·ty noun
• nonrep·re·senta·ble adjective
• prerep·re·sent verb (used with object)
• unrep·re·senta·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of represent¹

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 ) ”

Word History and Origins

Origin of represent¹

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

Example Sentences

A second round of more than 30 grants is in the works, representing over $2 million more.

From 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.

From Nautilus

The suit was filed by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press attorneys, who are representing the Blade in the case.

From 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.

From 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.

From 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.

From The Daily Beast

Republicans loathe public sector unions—unless they represent cops or firefighters.

From The Daily Beast

This year will represent the 20th anniversary of the first Running of the Santas.

From The Daily Beast

For example, 51 percent of North Carolinians voted that year for a Democrat to represent them in Congress.

From The Daily Beast

In their elitism and sense of entitlement, they represent much of what liberals are supposed to despise.

From The Daily Beast

Little girls perhaps represent the attractive function of adornment: they like to be thought pretty.

From Project Gutenberg

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.

From Project Gutenberg

The arrows represent the flow of money from each of these four categories to the others.

From Project Gutenberg

In the diagram the horizontal arrows represent such mere banking operations, not true circulation.

From Project Gutenberg

On the other hand, the arrows along the sides of the triangle represent actual circulation.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• mean
• perform
• produce
• serve
• serve as
• show
• speak for