portrait

noun

ˈpȯr-trət How to pronounce portrait (audio)
Definition of portraitnext
as in description
a vivid representation in words of someone or something his account created in the jurors' heads a detailed portrait of a lonely old man

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 portrait Akhenaten, who may have been the boy-king’s father, was depicted in artwork as having wide hips and a protruding belly, which stood out from portraits of other Egyptian royalty. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026 The other issue is that subscribers will need to submit their passport information and a live portrait to the company to use Roam outside Poland. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026 The invigorating result, executive produced by Martin Scorsese, is a portrait of friendship and camaraderie as much as a paean to an era of experimental New York theater that still shines like a beacon. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026 Happily, the indie-cinema veterans had the means to produce the series—a lyrical, often wordless portrait of the spiritual seeker as a young woman, soulfully portrayed by Megan Stott. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for portrait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portrait
  1. description
  2. depiction
  3. portrayal
  4. picture
  5. sketch
Noun
  • Wildlife officers found a female bear in the area matching the description and euthanized her, as per CPW policy.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • These form the spine of the book, interwoven with descriptions of swims of varying lengths in a very wide range of locales—rivers, waterfalls, ponds, different coves and beaches, each different and beautifully captured for the reader.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of description
Noun
  • The morbidly curious Sperm Whale and Giant Squid Diorama is a startling depiction of one of nature’s most mysterious predator-prey relationships.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026
  • However, the smaller image on the right may be a depiction of a human defecating, menstruating, or giving birth.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of depiction
Noun
  • Did her grandmother, who comes across as stoic and pragmatic in many ways, influence her portrayal of the similarly-minded Tova?
    — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Vogel has previously disputed Panettiere's portrayal of their relationship.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of portrayal
Noun
  • In practice, Ogunyemi argues, only a small number of people may regularly take advantage of an open-door policy, leaving leaders with an incomplete picture of what is happening across the organization.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, Dorothea Lange’s 1936 picture of migrant Florence Owens Thompson and her children, is widely regarded as one of the most iconic photographs of the Dust Bowl period of the Great Depression.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of picture
Noun
  • The postmodern lingua franca of today’s internet meme culture owes much to Wareheim and Heidecker, particularly their Adult Swim sketch series Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The piece of art, gifted by a fan to Grisham and then claimed by McMahon as his own, is in the style of a police sketch.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sketch

Browse Nearby Words

portmanteaus
portrait
portraits
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Cite this Entry

“Portrait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portrait. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of portrait for Spanish Speakers

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