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portray Definition

por·tray (pôr trā′)

transitive verb

  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

Etymology: ME purtreien < MFr portraire < L protrahere, to draw forth < pro-, forth + trahere, to draw

portray Related Forms

por·tray′·able adjective por·tray′er noun

portray Synonyms

portray

v.

  1. To represent

    depict, characterize, reproduce; see define 2, describe, represent 2.

  2. To imitate

    copy, simulate, mimic; see imitate 2, impersonate, parody.

portray Usage Examples

Object

  • character: Beside portraying the character, the piece is written in an ' academic ' manner.
  • stereotype: He portrayed the stereotypes of beach culture, and the physical features attributed to the typical Aussie male.
  • image: Mr Usher has selected his subjects aptly to portray the image of Oslo in its true essence.
  • scene: TOM PAGE For a reminder of your holiday in Cornwall this artist portrays lovely sunny scenes of local beauty spots at very reasonable prices.
  • violence: Mcnab does not portray pointless violence however, rather it is short, sharp and in keeping with the plot.
  • horror: No pen could adequately portray the horrors of this fear- ful night.

Preposition: on

  • television: Rugeley Community Church - Discovery Is your understanding of God based on reality, or just on what you see portrayed on television?
  • screen: Women are so much more interesting in real life than how they are portrayed on screen.

Subject

actor: Later in the scene Zero interacts with his Boss, portrayed by an actor who performs off-stage in front of a video camera.

Preposition: as

victim: Frequently ill, but brave, loyal and long-suffering, she is portrayed as a helpless victim of bizarre and cruel events.

Modifying Another Word

  • vividly: Both vividly portray the material losses inflicted upon Russia by the civil war.
  • graphically: I spent some time trying to use the cranes and docks, which are graphically portrayed in the game, but to no avail.
  • brilliantly: As brilliantly portrayed by veteran actor George Cole, the man was, of course, Arthur Daley.
  • convincingly: This is a novel that convincingly portrays the complexities of the human mind.
  • realistically: This having been said many of the incidental features in the illustrations, including the depiction of pots, appear to be realistically portrayed.
  • accurately: The film accurately portrays the brutality of 1st century flogging.

Preposition: in

  • medium: The ' Hooray Henrys ' often portrayed in the media hardly exist.
  • movie: It is without doubt, as cool or cooler than portrayed in the movie.
  • film: Canada 82 Who did Kirk Douglas portray in the film Lust For Life?

Preposition: by

actor: Later in the scene Zero interacts with his Boss, portrayed by an actor who performs off-stage in front of a video camera.