Meaning & use
depict
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To show someone or something in a picture, carving or other visual work.
Grammar: Takes an object; often passive: depicted in a painting.
Patterns
- depict something
- depict someone as something
The mural depicts a busy market.
The coin depicts the queen.
The painting depicts a storm at sea.
verbtransitive
To describe or present someone or something in a particular way, using words or film.
Grammar: Often with as.
Patterns
- depict someone as something
The novel depicts life in a small town.
The film depicts him as a hero.
Word forms
| third person singular | depicts |
|---|---|
| past tense | depicted |
| past participle | depicted |
| -ing form | depicting |
Common combinations
- depict a scene
- The artist depicted a scene from history.
- accurately depict
- The film accurately depicts the era.
- depict as
- The paper depicted him as greedy.
- vividly depict
- The writer vividly depicts war.
Synonyms and how they differ
- portray
- Stresses showing a person's character or role.
- illustrate
- Means to explain by pictures or examples.
- represent
- More general; it may stand for something without resembling it.
- describe
- Uses words only.
Opposites
Word family
- depiction noun
- a picture or description
Commonly confused: depict or deplete?
depict vs deplete
Deplete means to use up and is unrelated.
Practice
The stained-glass window ___ a saint holding a book.
Choose one answer.
Depict means to show in a picture. The other verbs do not describe what an image shows.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “depict”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.