portray

verb

por·​tray pȯr-ˈtrā 

pər-

portrayed; portraying; portrays

transitive verb

1

: to make a picture of : depict

2

a

: to describe in words

b

: to play the role of : enact

portrayer noun

Synonyms

• delineate
• depict
• describe
• draw
• image
• limn
• paint
• picture
• render
• set out
• sketch

Examples of portray in a Sentence

The White House has portrayed the President as deeply conflicted over the matter.

The lawyer portrayed his client as a victim of child abuse.

He portrayed himself as a victim.

The painting portrays the queen in a purple robe.

Laurence Olivier portrayed Hamlet beautifully.

Recent Examples on the Web

James Norton has been tapped to portray Ormund Hightower in Season 3 of HBO‘s House of the Dragon, Deadline has learned. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 31 Jan. 2025

The series has been getting some racist backlash for portraying Norman Osborn as Black, with Oscar nominee Colman Domingo voicing the character. —James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025

Wilson portrays a meteorologist, who is telling viewers about a powerful whirlwind that is ripping through (tour stop) cities across the U.S., while Ernest and Muscadine Bloodline portray fellow newscasters/weathermen impacted by the whirlwind. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2025

He's previously starred as Frankie's (Galilea La Salvia) boyfriend Trey in Disney+'s Goosebumps. 07 of 09 Jack McBrayer Jack McBrayer portrays Leslie, the resort concierge who has to deliver the bad news to the two brides' father and sister. —Jordana Comiter, People.com, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English portraien, purtrayen, purtreyen "to draw, paint, depict, decorate, form a mental image of," borrowed from Anglo-French purtraire "to represent (in drawing, painting, etc.), depict, decorate, plan (also continental Old French pourtraire), from pur-, pour-, por-, prefix marking completion of an action (going back to Latin prō-, prefix denoting forward movement) + traire "to drag, pull, draw out, launch, shoot, trace, represent," going back to Latin trahere "to drag, draw, take along" — more at pro- entry 2, abstract entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

portray

verb

por·​tray pōr-ˈtrā 

pȯr-

1

: to make a portrait of

2

a

: to describe in words

b

: to play the role of

portrayer noun