portray

4 definitions • 6 examples

to represent or describe someone or something in a painting, film, book, or other artistic work:

The painting portrays a beautiful young woman in a blue dress.

The writer portrays life in a small village at the turn of the century.

If a person in a film, book, etc. is portrayed as a particular type of character, they are represented in that way:

The father in the film is portrayed as a fairly unpleasant character.

to represent or describe someone or something in a book, movie, etc.:

The book portrayed him as somebody who was uncaring, even bigoted.

The writer portrays life in a working-class community at the turn of the century.

To portray is also to act the part of someone in a movie or play:

Michael Douglas portrays the president of the United States.