as in depiction
a vivid representation in words of someone or something
his novel presents a moving portrayal of a woman searching for personal fulfillment and happiness
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portrayal
They had been left openly stacked by toilets, stashed in closets, and crammed in a pool pump house in a portrayal of arrogant disdain for protocols of American national security.
—
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
Knox views this portrayal as all being in service of a character, a projection, a fantasy — never a flesh-and-blood person.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
How did your own motherhood journey inform your portrayal of Gemma?
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2025
Helen Schneider, acclaimed internationally for powerful portrayals in musicals like Sunset Boulevard, Evita, and her one-woman show A Walk on the Weill Side, embraced the complexities of portraying Leonard Bernstein.
—Court Stroud, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portrayal
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
Knox views this portrayal as all being in service of a character, a projection, a fantasy — never a flesh-and-blood person.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
How did your own motherhood journey inform your portrayal of Gemma?
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2025
Helen Schneider, acclaimed internationally for powerful portrayals in musicals like Sunset Boulevard, Evita, and her one-woman show A Walk on the Weill Side, embraced the complexities of portraying Leonard Bernstein.
—Court Stroud, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portrayal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayal
Noun
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One of the most fascinating parts of the depiction of the trio is how both history and insecurity shape our friendships, and both Laurie and Jaclyn’s feelings are partly born of their own inner demons.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
24 Mar. 2025
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Their relatively young ages and social differences contribute to their doomed romance, but Brontë’s novel is more often defined by its depiction of cruelty and morality within the rigid English class system.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There, the friends are plunged into a hell that defies description in its mix of aseptic rationality and normalized violence.—
Bartolomeo Sala,
The Dial,
27 Mar. 2025
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Graphics and Gaming Tests Here are the benchmark results, with descriptions of each test preceding them—first, our usual graphics test suite for laptop reviews.—
Matthew Buzzi,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In this slice-of-life portrait, Chen shows how childhood experiences can shape someone, illustrating how a childhood passion might expand their horizons without necessarily becoming a lifelong vocation.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
29 Mar. 2025
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Its cover is also an artwork: a painting by Will St. John, who often makes portraits of drag queens and trans models done in the style of Renaissance paintings.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Authorities later discovered texts allegedly sent by Yolanda that help paint a picture of what led up to Rebecca’s murder.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
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While a complete picture of that morning has yet to form, the surviving roommates’ accounts and documentation shed light on what the housemates endured in a case shrouded with mystery and speculation.—
Taylor Romine,
CNN,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portrayal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayal. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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