portrayed

8 synonyms for portrayed, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — Past tense and past participle of portray: to show or describe someone or something in a particular way, in words, pictures or performance.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

described painted

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

depicted represented characterised played acted performed as

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

Past tense and past participle of portray: to show or describe someone or something in a particular way, in words, pictures or performance.

“The film portrayed him as a reluctant hero.”

depicted represented described characterised painted

2. verb

Played the part of a character in a film, play or television programme.

“She portrayed the queen in three seasons of the series.”

played acted performed as

How to use portrayed

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

portrayed as accurately portrayed portrayed in the media often portrayed portrayed by

Neutral, slightly formal; common in reviews, criticism and news writing.

Etymology

From portray, from Old French portraire meaning 'to draw forth or depict', from Latin protrahere.

Full origin of portrayed →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between portrayed and depicted?

Depicted is the more neutral of the two and suits pictures, diagrams and plain description. Portrayed carries a stronger sense of interpretation — of someone choosing how a subject should come across — which is why critics say a character was portrayed sympathetically.

What is the difference between portrayed and betrayed?

They are unrelated despite the near-identical sound. Portrayed means represented or depicted; betrayed means broke someone's trust or gave away a secret.

Do you say portrayed by or portrayed as?

Portrayed by names the person doing the portraying, usually an actor: 'Hamlet, portrayed by Andrew Scott'. Portrayed as names the impression created: 'portrayed as a tyrant'.

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Nearby words

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