Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense depicts, present participle depicting, past tense, past participle depicted
1. verb
To depict someone or something means to show or represent them in a work of art such as a drawing or painting.
...a gallery of pictures depicting Nelson's most famous battles. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: illustrate, portray, picture, paint More Synonyms of depict
2. verb
To depict someone or something means to describe them or give an impression of them in writing.
Margaret Atwood's novel depicts a gloomy, futuristic America. [VERB noun]
Children's books often depict farmyard animals as gentle, lovable creatures. [VERB noun + as]
Synonyms: describe, present, represent, detail More Synonyms of depict
depict in British English
(dɪˈpɪkt)
verb(transitive)
1.
to represent by or as by drawing, sculpture, painting, etc; delineate; portray
2.
to represent in words; describe
Derived forms
depicter (deˈpicter) or depictor (deˈpictor)
noun
depiction (deˈpiction)
noun
depictive (deˈpictive)
adjective
Word origin
C17: from Latin dēpingere, from pingere to paint
depict in American English
(diˈpɪkt; dɪˈpɪkt)
verb transitive
1.
to represent in a drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.; portray; picture
2.
to picture in words; describe
Derived forms
depiction (deˈpiction)
noun
depictor (deˈpictor)
noun
Word origin
ME depicten < L depictus, pp. of depingere < de-, intens. + pingere, to paint
Examples of 'depict' in a sentence
depict
He is usually depicted in art with a fish and a key.
Martin Manser COLLINS DICTIONARY OF SAINTS (2004)
It often depicts natural disasters as economic positives.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But the people in this book often depict religion as balm rather than wound.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
The painting depicts two young women in a stylised landscape shown in vivid colours.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Is there no gun depicted in the painting?
Kimball, Roger Tenured Radicals: How Politics Has Corrupted Higher Education (1990)
He often depicts donkeys, which he says he feels are autobiographical.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
She said that the landscape depicted in the painting resembled the area in Arizona where the siblings had once lived.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Above the bed, a piece of art hung depicting a woman with large scarlet lips in place of her head.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And he doesn't like how Hollywood often depicts aliens as our enemy.
The Sun (2013)
The human body is delightful and, if more than one person is depicted in a painting, the artist should show the admiration of the other.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
True, not many of the early ones survive, but they are frequently depicted in paintings and prints of scholars in their libraries and cabinets of curiosities.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
In other languages
depict
British English: depict VERB
To depict someone or something means to show or represent them in a work of art such as a drawing or painting.
...a gallery of pictures depicting famous battles.
American English: depict
Brazilian Portuguese: retratar
Chinese: 描绘
European Spanish: representar
French: représenter
German: darstellen
Italian: rappresentare
Japanese: 描写する
Korean: 묘사하다
European Portuguese: retratar
Latin American Spanish: representar
Chinese translation of 'depict'
depict
(dɪˈpɪkt)
vt
(in picture) 描绘(繪) (miáohuì)
(= describe) 描述 (miáoshù)
1 (verb)
Definition
to represent by drawing, painting, etc.
a gallery of pictures depicting famous battles
Synonyms
illustrate
portray
the landscape as portrayed by painters such as Poussin
picture
The goddess Demeter is pictured holding an ear of wheat.
paint
He was painting a portrait of his father.
outline
draw
Draw a rough design for a logo.
sketch
I sketched the scene with my pen and paper.
render
a powerful, bizarre, and beautifully rendered story
reproduce
sculpt
delineate
The relationship between Church and State was delineated in a formal agreement.
limn
2 (verb)
Definition
to describe in words
Children's books often depict animals as gentle creatures.
Synonyms
describe
Even his allies describe him as forceful, aggressive and determined.
present
He was presented as a tragic figure.
represent
The cartoonist represents him as an old man in a dressing gown.
detail
The report detailed the changes that would be implemented.
outline
sketch
characterize
He has often been characterized as lazy and incompetent.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of characterize
Definition
to describe
He has often been characterized as lazy and incompetent.
Synonyms
portray,
show,
present,
represent,
depict
in the sense of delineate
Definition
to describe in words
The relationship between Church and State was delineated in a formal agreement.
Synonyms
outline,
describe,
draw,
picture,
paint,
chart,
trace,
portray,
sketch,
render,
depict,
characterize,
map out
in the sense of detail
Definition
to list fully
The report detailed the changes that would be implemented.