portray
gb/pɔɹtɹˈeɪ/ us/pɔɹtɹˈeɪ/
B1
Anglais
~ 4400
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
B1
action
1
Represent in art or words
To show what a person or thing looks like or is like in a picture, book, movie, or other work.
Schéma d’usage :
to portray [someone/something] as [adjective]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'portray' with 'display'; 'display' means to show physically, while 'portray' means to represent through art or description.
Synonymes
depict (Often used for visual representation, but can also apply to written or spoken descriptions.)
|
illustrate (Focuses more on visual explanation, often in drawings or diagrams.)
Antonymes
conceal (To hide or not show something, the opposite of representing it openly.)
Collocations
portray a character
|portray accurately
|portray vividly
|portray realistically
Thèmes
art
|media
|communication
|arts_entertainment
Exemples
- The painting portrays the king in his royal robes.
- The novel portrays life in rural America during the 1930s.
- She portrayed the detective as a lonely but brilliant man.
- The documentary portrays the struggles of single parents.
- The film portrays the city as a dangerous place.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The photo portrays a happy family.
- This story portrays a young girl's dreams.
- The movie portrays a hero who saves the town.
- The artist portrays animals in nature.
Verbe
B1
action
2
Act the part of someone
To act as a person or character in a movie, play, or show.
Schéma d’usage :
to portray [a character] in [a production]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use 'pretend' instead of 'portray' in acting contexts; 'pretend' is less formal and lacks the professional performance sense.
Synonymes
play (Commonly used in acting contexts to mean taking on a role.)
|
perform as (Emphasizes the act of performing rather than representing.)
Antonymes
misrepresent (To present inaccurately; in acting, it could mean failing to capture the essence of the role.)
Collocations
portray a role
|portray convincingly
|portray on stage
Thèmes
entertainment
|acting
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Exemples
- She portrayed Queen Elizabeth I in the historical drama.
- He has portrayed many villains during his career.
- The actor portrayed a war hero in the new film.
- In the series, she portrays a dedicated doctor.
- He portrayed Hamlet on stage last year.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She portrays a teacher in the movie.
- He portrays a king in the play.
- The man portrays a hero in the story.
- My sister portrays a nurse in the school drama.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
portray
API
GB/pɔɹtɹˈeɪ/
US/pɔɹtɹˈeɪ/
Syllabes et accentuation
por - tray (2 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tray)
Formes du mot
Verb
- Base: portray
- 3rd Person Singular: portrays
- Present Participle: portraying
- Past: portrayed
Famille de mots
Forms
portrays
verb
portraying
verb
portrayed
verb
Advanced or less common
portraiture
noun C1
portraitist
noun
Expressions
portray accurately
1/pɔɹtɹˈeɪ ˈækjɚɪtli/
fixed phrase
Show truthfully
To describe or show someone or something exactly as they are.
Exemples
- The report portrays the situation accurately.
- The artist portrayed the scene accurately.
portray as
1/pɔɹtɹˈeɪ ˈæz/
fixed phrase
Show someone/something in a certain light
To show or describe someone or something as having particular qualities.
Exemples
- The media often portrays him as a genius.
- The book portrays her as strong and independent.
portray in a positive light
1/pɔɹtɹˈeɪ ˈɪn ə pˈɑzɪtɪv lˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
Show someone/something favorably
To show or describe someone or something in a good way.
Exemples
- The documentary portrays the community in a positive light.
- He tried to portray his actions in a positive light.