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Verb: portray  por'trey
  1. Portray in words
    "The book portrays the actor as a selfish person"
     
  2. Make a portrait of
    "Goya wanted to portray his mistress, the Duchess of Alba"
    - depict, limn
     
  3. Assume or act the character of
    "The actor portrays an elderly, lonely man"
    - impersonate
     
  4. Represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture
    "The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this painting"
    - present

Derived forms: portrays, portraying, portrayed

See also: portraitist, portraiture, portrayal, portraying

Type of: act, interpret, play, represent