portray

Verb

Verb Forms: portrayed, portraying, portrays

• To represent or describe in a painting, drawing, sculpture, or words.
• portray in words
  • "The book portrays the actor as a selfish person"
• make a portrait of
  • "Goya wanted to portray his mistress, the Duchess of Alba"
• assume or act the character of
  • "The actor portrays an elderly, lonely man"
• represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture
  • "The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this painting"
• To paint or draw the likeness of.
• To represent by an image or look.
• To describe in words; to convey.
• To play a role; to depict a character, person, situation, or event.
• To adorn.

Examples

• For my next movie, I will be portraying Shakespeare.
• His current rack seemed to portray only low-scoring, uninspiring letters.
• I will portray a king on horseback.

Synonyms

depict, impersonate, limn, present

Related Words

portrait, portrayal