portray in WordNet English dictionary

1. make a portrait of
   "Goya wanted to portray his mistress, the Duchess of Alba"
   portray  depict  limn 
   
2. assume or act the character of
   "She impersonates Madonna"; "The actor portrays an elderly, lonely man"
   impersonate  portray 
   
3. portray in words
   "The book portrays the actor as a selfish person"
   portray 
   
4. represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture
   "The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this painting"
   portray  present