portray

The word “portray” means to represent someone or something in a picture, film, or performance. In plain terms, to show or describe someone or something in a particular way, in art, film, or writing.

“Portray” is pronounced paw-TRAY (/poɹˈtɹeɪ̯/ in IPA).

Here is “portray” used in a sentence: “The actor portrayed a struggling detective.”

“Portray” is a verb.

The word “portray” comes from Middle French. From Middle French portraire, "to draw a likeness of.".

“Portray” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

“Portray” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to represent someone or something in a picture, film, or performance.

Portray and depict are close synonyms both meaning to represent someone or something in a picture, film, performance, or words, and are largely interchangeable. "Portray" is used slightly more often for representing a person or character, especially in acting, while "depict" is common for scenes, events, or ideas.

An actor is said to "play" a role in the sense of performing it, while "portray" emphasizes how that character is represented or characterized, including tone and interpretation. So an actor plays a role but portrays a character in a particular way.

Yes, portray also means to describe or depict in words, so a novel or article can portray a person or situation just as a film or painting can. The word applies to any medium that represents or characterizes its subject.