depiction

noun

de·​pic·​tion di-ˈpik-shən How to pronounce depiction (audio)
dē-
plural depictions
: a representation in words or images of someone or something
The book is fascinating in its depiction of the country's early history.
The first part of the book … is a depiction of the nearly lost world of a North American hunter-gatherer community.Timothy Egan
The late Vermont artist Stephen Huneck made works that are instantly recognizable—bright, accessible, folky depictions of dogs enjoying themselves.James Heflin
By comparison with the depiction of domesticity in such 1950s staples as The Donna Reed Show and Ozzie and Harriet, the portrait of family life on The Dick Van Dyke Show, the emblematic sitcom of the early 1960s, seemed staggering in its sheer smartness and casual elegance.Bruce Bawer

Examples of depiction in a Sentence

the set piece of the novel is a depiction of the battle that makes readers feel like they were there
Recent Examples on the Web
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The documentary style in underground cinema, handheld cameras, the use of non-professional actors, and the unfiltered depiction of real life is not dissimilar to the lyrical and auditory structures of Persian rap. Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025 While that sounds like a pretty straightforward set up, there are plenty of dark twists and turns, including a chilling depiction of the aftermath of physical abuse. James Factora, Them., 22 May 2025 But even so, Farsi’s aesthetic approach — which could have so easily been grating — proves endearing and heartbreaking in equal measure, as a depiction of the exact manner in which a filmmaker got to know her subject intimately before her death. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 May 2025 There are soft pink larkspur and light green Bells of Ireland planted beneath and nearby a metalwork depiction of Van Gogh’s 1890 painting of roses, which is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jane L. Levere, New York Times, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for depiction

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depiction was in 1688

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Cite this Entry

“Depiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depiction. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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