portray

verb

por·​tray pȯr-ˈtrā How to pronounce portray (audio)
pər-
portrayed; portraying; portrays
Synonyms of portray

transitive verb

1
: to make a picture of : depict
2
a
: to describe in a particular way
The article portrayed the president as confident.
b
: to play the role of : enact
portrays the hero in the film
portrayer noun

Synonyms of portray

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Examples of portray in a Sentence

The White House has portrayed the President as deeply conflicted over the matter. The lawyer portrayed his client as a victim of child abuse. He portrayed himself as a victim. The painting portrays the queen in a purple robe. Laurence Olivier portrayed Hamlet beautifully.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rumors have circulated that Stan may be playing Harvey Dent, the district attorney who eventually becomes the villainous Two-Face and was previously portrayed by Aaron Eckhart, Tommy Lee Jones, and Billy Dee Williams. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026 Both shows will use the ‘interrogation room’ as a narrative device, with AI used to build the worlds around Borden and Wuornos, who are portrayed by actors. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026 Comedian and talk show host Sherri Shepherd will portray Guzman, alongside actor Dondré Whitfield. — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 By this reasoning, federal agencies must be allowed to complete rulemaking before judges intervene, and challenges to the order are portrayed as speculative attempts to stop reforms that could be crafted within constitutional limits. — Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for portray

Word History

Etymology

Middle English portraien, purtrayen, purtreyen "to draw, paint, depict, decorate, form a mental image of," borrowed from Anglo-French purtraire "to represent (in drawing, painting, etc.), depict, decorate, plan" (also continental Old French pourtraire), from pur-, pour-, por-, prefix marking completion of an action (going back to Latin prō-, prefix denoting forward movement) + traire "to drag, pull, draw out, launch, shoot, trace, represent," going back to Latin trahere "to drag, draw, take along" — more at pro- entry 2, abstract entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of portray was in the 14th century

Rhymes for portray

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Browse Nearby Words

portraiture
portray
portrayal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portray. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

portray

verb
por·​tray pōr-ˈtrā How to pronounce portray (audio)
pȯr-
1
: to make a portrait of
2
a
: to describe in words
b
: to play the role of
portrayer noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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