Thesaurus results for PORTRAYAL

portrayal

noun

pȯr-ˈtrā(-ə)l

Definition of portrayal

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of portrayal The Dolphins joint practice against the Giants started with a skirmish, and ended with one, which was a portrayal of how physical Thursday’s practice was. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026 Television’s portrayal of neurodivergence has long suffered from a persistent blind spot. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 Did her grandmother, who comes across as stoic and pragmatic in many ways, influence her portrayal of the similarly-minded Tova? — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026 Civic Life, showing artists’ portrayals of experience in the courthouse, the polling place, the political headquarters, and elsewhere. — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for portrayal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayal

Noun

Attraction is the point—the promise of fulfillment, rather than its depiction, is the reward.

— Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
For her, the novel’s depiction of Haitian life in Miami is immediately recognizable.

— Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of depiction

Noun

On the page, Hig’s first-person descriptions of his everyday adventures, and of the waning natural world around him, had an honest, melancholy soul to them.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
She was stunned how closely autism’s description fit her creative, sensitive girl — her strong need for routine, social anxiety, challenges with communication and sensory processing.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of description

Noun

Kristinka Lazar, for example, used the time as an artistic residency to create a collection of paintings called The Gift of Being Seen, featuring 45 portraits of local villagers.

— Liz Provencher, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
Watermelon was founded in 2024 by brothers Badie and Hamza Ali to present more complex portraits of Palestinians and Arabs.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of portrait

Noun

Members also flagged strong anticipation from North American press and said a Netflix awards team is preparing a campaign for the film that extends to a best picture push.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Live video is relayed to law enforcement, giving them a clear picture of what’s going on before officers enter the school.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of picture

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portray

portrayal

portrayals

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“Portrayal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayal. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of portrayal

noun

Example Sentences

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