From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishportraypor‧tray /pɔːˈtreɪ $ pɔːr-/ ●●○ verb [transitive] 1 → portray somebody/something as something2 DESCRIBEto describe or represent something or someone SYN depict His most famous painting portrayed the death of Nelson. Religion was portrayed in a negative way.3 APTto act the part of a character in a play, film, or television programme SYN play She portrays a dancer in the hit film.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
portray• Their music portrays a lifestyle that no longer exists.• In the movie, Burg portrays a real-life Holocaust survivor.• This is the only example portraying a Roman Emperor which has survived intact from such an early age.• The recommendation was a surprise because census officials previously have portrayed adjustment as a solution to chronic undercounts.• All along, the Owens River had been portrayed as a matter of life or death to the city of Los Angeles.• This again portrays Cassius as a hero, and Caesar as a feeble old man in comparison.• We are all given T-shirts that portray Erap as a crocodile, gobbling money.• Leonard Baskin has been chosen to portray F.D.R.'s first inauguration and, in the final room, his funeral cortège.• Instead, she portrayed herself as a philanthropist, eager to help old friends down on their luck.• Fink is not the only writer portrayed in the film.• Two portray large dramatic faces that do not look particularly human.Origin portray (1200-1300) Old French portraire, from Latin protrahere “to draw out, show” 