portray
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to show someone or something in a painting, drawing, or photograph.
to depict a subject in a visual medium such as painting or photography.
Simple“The artist chose to portray the king sitting on a simple wooden chair.”
In context“The portraitist sought to portray the subject not as a distant monarch, but as a weary man burdened by the weight of his responsibilities.”
UsageTakes a direct object representing the person or thing being shown.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to describe someone or something in a book or speech to create a specific image.
to represent or characterize someone or something in a literary or verbal account.
Simple“The newspaper article portrayed the local hero as a very humble person.”
In context“Critics argued that the biography portrayed the inventor in an unfairly negative light, ignoring his significant philanthropic contributions.”
UsageOften used with 'as' to specify the quality or role being described.
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
to act as a character in a play or a movie.
to represent a character or personage in a dramatic production or cinematic work.
Simple“She will portray the lead character in the new historical drama.”
In context“The actor was praised for his ability to portray the complex emotions of a man lost in a city he no longer recognized.”
UsageThe object is typically the name of the character or historical figure being played.
“I think the way the media portrays everything has a massive impact on everyday life now," he says.”
“Arday had admitted to making mistakes, but he said he was being wrongly “portrayed to be a liar and a fantasist and an academic fraud”.”
From Middle English portray, from Middle French portraire.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.