as in depictions
a vivid representation in words of someone or something
his novel presents a moving portrayal of a woman searching for personal fulfillment and happiness
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Recent Examples of portrayals
Pentagon leaders’ positive portrayals present an incomplete picture at best, people familiar with intelligence assessments told us.
—
Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
Also missing from the film are portrayals of Jackson’s daughter, Paris, and his siblings Rebbie, Randy and Janet, who apparently weren’t happy with many of the scenes.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
And although the film includes portrayals of many of the Jackson siblings, some also asked to be left out of the biopic, including Janet.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Cheadle, Young, and Ha deliver effortless portrayals.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Others featured in the show have similarly criticized their portrayals.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
These kinds of portrayals enforce biases that are damaging in the real world.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
At the same time, Muslim groups like Council on American-Islamic Relations and national interfaith coalitions such as Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign have worked with Christians to challenge these portrayals and promote more nuanced understandings of Islam.
—Anna Piela, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
More astute attention to character development, and more honest portrayals of how most of us really live.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
Also missing from the film are portrayals of Jackson’s daughter, Paris, and his siblings Rebbie, Randy and Janet, who apparently weren’t happy with many of the scenes.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
And although the film includes portrayals of many of the Jackson siblings, some also asked to be left out of the biopic, including Janet.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Cheadle, Young, and Ha deliver effortless portrayals.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Others featured in the show have similarly criticized their portrayals.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
These kinds of portrayals enforce biases that are damaging in the real world.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
At the same time, Muslim groups like Council on American-Islamic Relations and national interfaith coalitions such as Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign have worked with Christians to challenge these portrayals and promote more nuanced understandings of Islam.
—Anna Piela, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
More astute attention to character development, and more honest portrayals of how most of us really live.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayals
Noun
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For its inaugural season, in partnership with the Vasarely Foundation, the hotel debuted an exhibition across its lawn that drew over 30,000 visitors, and each guest room features a work by Dutch painter Roan van Oort, who is known for his textured canvases and raw depictions of the natural world.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Though several artworks from the 1600s may well represent Shakespeare, only two are widely regarded as possibly accurate depictions.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The photographer has even captured glamorous portraits of the Prince and Princess of Wales at state banquets, sometimes sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the white-tie events that call for ballgowns and tiaras.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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One source speculated that the portraits of the Bezoses may have been inspired by Condé journalists openly dreading the prospect of the billionaires owning Vogue and having Sánchez calling the shots.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Police officers saw a man matching witness descriptions and challenged him, Thomas said.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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Full character descriptions for the new additions can be found below.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Participants will board a 4-wheel-drive for a bumpy 13-mile tour with frequent stops for pictures, sketches and questions.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
30 Apr. 2026
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The following slide proved that the bribe worked, as Emma adorably smiled in her school pictures, and the results were perfection.—
Georgia Slater,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portrayals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayals. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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