portrayals

noun

plural of portrayal
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of portrayals Some scientists are pushing back against these utopian portrayals. — Christopher Von Rueden, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2026 These two novels are just a sampling of recent portrayals of this surreal land of limbo, but there are many more. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 According to some scholarly media critics, the plethora of popular portrayals of polygamy in the FLDS and related groups transforms the subject into a sensationalist spectacle. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026 Both portrayals belong to a media era in which access was scarce and securing coverage sat at the center of the job. — Julia Ruttner, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026 Their portrayals, mixing ferocious strength with stark vulnerability, make the tragedy’s pileup of bodies at the end all the more piercing. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on presidential portrayals and summer sips. — FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Google became embroiled in a prior controversy in February 2024 after its Gemini text-to-image tool produced portrayals of racially diverse German WW2 soldiers. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026 Researchers said participants wanted content creators, influencers and television and film producers to offer more nuanced and authentic portrayals of religion and spirituality. — City News Service, Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrayals
  1. depictions
  2. portraits
  3. descriptions
  4. pictures
Noun
  • The cumulative effect of the bowl’s ambient violence (robbery, assault, and overdose abound) amounts to an open-air despair not unlike Fox News-style depictions of California as a wholesale war zone.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The collaboration launches with the work of LeRoy Neiman, who is known for his expressionist depictions of sports, leisure, and other facets of Americana.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of depictions
Noun
  • Lined with portraits of tango legends on the wall, the space feels beautifully preserved.
    — Nikkita Nair, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Whether these portraits represent past patrons, whose stories once unspooled over these same steaming cups, Kim declines to comment.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of portraits
Noun
  • Bread & Butter’s title track is the only time when things decamp to the treacly, mostly because of how Cartunez’s syrupy beat drowns out Droog’s hazy memories of 9/11 and descriptions of a side chick who looks like Ronnie from The Player’s Club.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI also did not include full prompts or run-time details for how their agents uncovered the proofs, and officials admitted in a blog post about the results that citations and written descriptions of findings could be improved in future releases.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of descriptions
Noun
  • Stone, in a royal blue skirt suit, posed for pictures before stopping to chat happily with the Haim sisters, with Este Haim breaking into song.
    — Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Messi posted on social media pictures of him arriving to join the national team for the last time and his final training sessions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of pictures

Browse Nearby Words

portrayal
portrayals
portrayed
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Cite this Entry

“Portrayals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrayals. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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