Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense portrays, present participle portraying, past tense, past participle portrayed
1. verb
When an actor or actress portrays someone, he or she plays that person in a play or film.
In 1975 he portrayed the king in a Los Angeles revival of 'Camelot'. [VERB noun]
At first Glenn Miller, brilliantly portrayed by Jimmy Stewart, is sunk into gloom. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: play, take the role of, act the part of, represent More Synonyms of portray
2. verb
When a writer or artist portrays something, he or she writes a description or produces a painting of it.
...this northern novelist, who accurately portrays provincial domestic life. [VERB noun]
...the landscape as portrayed by painters such as Claude and Poussin. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: represent, draw, paint, illustrate More Synonyms of portray
3. verb
If a film, book, or television programme portrays someone in a certain way, it represents them in that way.
She says the programme portrayed her as a 'lady of easy virtue'. [VERB noun + as]
...complaints about the way women are portrayed in adverts. [beVERB-ed]
Synonyms: characterize, describe, represent, depict More Synonyms of portray
More Synonyms of portray
portray in British English
(pɔːˈtreɪ)
verb(transitive)
1.
to represent in a painting, drawing, sculpture, etc; make a portrait of
2.
to make a verbal picture of; depict in words
3.
to play the part of (a character) in a play or film
Derived forms
portrayable (porˈtrayable)
adjective
portrayal (porˈtrayal)
noun
portrayer (porˈtrayer)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French portraire to depict, from Latin prōtrahere to drag forth, bring to light, from pro-1 + trahere to drag
portray in American English
(pɔrˈtreɪ)
verb transitive
1.
to make a picture or portrait of; depict; delineate
2.
to make a word picture of; describe
3.
to play the part of as in a play or film
Derived forms
portrayable (porˈtrayable)
adjective
portrayer (porˈtrayer)
noun
Word origin
ME purtreien < MFr portraire < L protrahere, to draw forth < pro-, forth + trahere, to draw
Examples of 'portray' in a sentence
portray
The way he was portrayed as trying to engineer a move did not help either.
The Sun (2017)
But the film would have portrayed her as a thief and there was a public outcry in Monaco.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The first film portrayed quite a tug of war between rebellious adolescence and stuffy religion.
Christianity Today (2000)
She is very upset at how she is being portrayed in this film.
The Sun (2011)
It is quite strange to see yourself portrayed on film.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
No other figure in the tapestry is portrayed in this way.
Andrew Bridgeford 1066: and the Hidden History of the Bayeux Tapestry (2004)
The film portrayed her as a nurse, which was a load of nonsense.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
You'll get your thinking cap on for new ways to portray your unique individuality.
The Sun (2016)
They saw it was strange what was happening in the way they were portraying Eric.
The Sun (2012)
There are many ways to portray Carmen.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The team were not at all conservative - and thankfully they were not portrayed that way.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
If that happens with a guy it's not portrayed the same way.
The Sun (2009)
But the negative side is that you're often portrayed a certain way.
The Sun (2013)
But it was the way it portrayed the American military humiliation that gave the image its power.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The advertising industry has often been criticised for the unrealistic way it portrays women and older people and for failing to reflect ethnic diversity.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I love the way you can portray emotions through movement.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I ask if she is upset by his loss or by the way he is portrayed.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
No other fictional individual has been more often portrayed in films, and these portrayals continue to be watched the world over.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I didn't see why women should be portrayed that way.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I'm sick of women being portrayed this way.
The Sun (2013)
We still await a film that portrays the complex nature of Poland's peaceful revolution.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
He said: 'I am angry about the way she has portrayed herself in the house.
The Sun (2008)
At the end of the ice age "Modern Man" hunted the herds of game which he portrayed in cave paintings.
Holford, Patrick The Family Nutrition Workbook (1988)
In other languages
portray
British English: portray VERB
When an actor or actress portrays someone, he or she plays that person in a play or film.
...the character portrayed by the young actor.
American English: portray
Brazilian Portuguese: retratar
Chinese: 扮演
European Spanish: representar
French: interpréter
German: darstellen
Italian: interpretare
Japanese: 演じる
Korean: ~의 역을 맡다
European Portuguese: retratar
Latin American Spanish: representar
Chinese translation of 'portray'
portray
(pɔːˈtreɪ)
vt
(= depict) 描绘(繪) (miáohuì)
(= play)[actor]扮演 (bànyǎn)
1 (verb)
Definition
to describe or represent (someone) by artistic means, such as in writing or on film
He portrayed the king in a revival of `Camelot'.
Synonyms
play
His ambition is to play the part of Dracula.
take the role of
act the part of
represent
personate (rare)
2 (verb)
Definition
to describe or represent (someone) by artistic means, such as in writing or on film
The novelist accurately portrays provincial domestic life.
Synonyms
describe
We asked her to describe what she had seen.
present
He was presented as a tragic figure.
depict
evoke
delineate
limn
put in words
3 (verb)
Definition
to describe or represent (someone) by artistic means, such as in writing or on film
the landscape as portrayed by painters such as Poussin
Synonyms
represent
The cartoonist represents him as an old man in a dressing gown.
draw
Draw a rough design for a logo.
paint
He was painting a portrait of his father.
illustrate
sketch
I sketched the scene with my pen and paper.
figure
picture
The goddess Demeter is pictured holding an ear of wheat.
render
a powerful, bizarre, and beautifully rendered story
depict
a gallery of pictures depicting famous battles
delineate
The relationship between Church and State was delineated in a formal agreement.
4 (verb)
Definition
to describe or represent (someone) by artistic means, such as in writing or on film
complaints about the way women are portrayed in adverts
Synonyms
characterize
He has often been characterized as lazy and incompetent.
describe
Even his allies describe him as forceful, aggressive and determined.
represent
depict
Children's books often depict animals as gentle creatures.
paint a mental picture of
Additional synonyms
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 depict
Definition
to represent by drawing, painting, etc.
a gallery of pictures depicting famous battles
Synonyms
illustrate,
portray,
picture,
paint,
outline,
draw,
sketch,
render,
reproduce,
sculpt,
delineate,
limn
in the sense of depict
Definition
to describe in words
Children's books often depict animals as gentle creatures.
Synonyms
describe,
present,
represent,
detail,
outline,
sketch,
characterize
Synonyms of 'portray'
portray
Explore 'portray' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of draw
Definition
to sketch (a picture, pattern, or diagram) with a pen or pencil
Draw a rough design for a logo.
Synonyms
sketch,
design,
outline,
trace,
portray,
paint,
depict,
mark out,
map out,
delineate,
do drawings
in the sense of paint
Definition
to apply paint to paper or canvas to make a picture of
He was painting a portrait of his father.
Synonyms
depict,
draw,
portray,
figure,
picture,
represent,
sketch,
delineate,
catch a likeness
in the sense of personate
Definition
to assume the identity of (another person) with intent to deceive
Synonyms
do (informal),
impersonate,
act,
represent,
portray,
depict,
enact,
imitate,
feign,
play-act
in the sense of picture
Definition
to describe or depict vividly
The goddess Demeter is pictured holding an ear of wheat.
Synonyms
represent,
show,
describe,
draw,
paint,
illustrate,
portray,
sketch,
render,
depict,
delineate
in the sense of present
Definition
to portray in a particular way
He was presented as a tragic figure.
Synonyms
represent,
portray,
describe,
depict,
characterize
in the sense of render
Definition
to represent in painting, music, or acting
a powerful, bizarre, and beautifully rendered story