Meaning & use
representation
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Meanings
noununcountable
The act of speaking, acting or voting for someone or a group.
Grammar: Uncountable; often with legal, political or fair.
Patterns
- representation of someone
- representation in something
Defendants are entitled to legal representation.
The region wants fairer representation in parliament.
Women demanded better representation on the board.
nouncountable
A picture, model or description that shows something.
Grammar: Countable; often followed by of.
Patterns
- a representation of something
The painting is a representation of a harvest.
The map is only a rough representation of the area.
nounusually pluralformal
A formal statement or complaint made to an authority.
Grammar: Usually representations to someone.
Patterns
- make representations to someone
The residents made representations to the council.
Word forms
| plural | representations |
|---|
Common combinations
- legal representation
- He asked for legal representation.
- proportional representation
- The country uses proportional representation.
- fair representation
- The group seeks fair representation.
- accurate representation
- It is an accurate representation of events.
- make representations
- We made representations to the minister.
Synonyms and how they differ
- depiction
- Focuses on showing something in pictures or words.
- portrayal
- Suggests an interpretation of a person or event.
- advocacy
- Means actively supporting a cause.
- delegation
- Refers to the group sent to act for others.
Opposites
Word family
- represent verb
- to act for or stand for
- representative noun
- a person who acts for others
- misrepresentation noun
- a false or misleading account
Commonly confused: representation or presentation?
representation vs presentation
A presentation is a talk or the act of giving something; representation is acting for or depicting.
Practice
The law guarantees every defendant the right to legal ___.
Choose one answer.
Legal representation means having a lawyer act for you. Presentation and reputation do not fit this phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “representation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.