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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her most famous depiction is on a tilma (cloak-like garment), attributed to a 16th-century story of a Nahua man named Juan Diego. Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2025 Superman 2025 is the latest in a long line of media depictions of the dashing visitor from another planet who fights bad guys (Earthlings and aliens), rescues people in distress, inspires hope and seeks justice. Rusty Wright, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2025 The term 'roughneck' conjures up images of rough-looking, greasy oilfield workers, sort of an iconic visual depiction, like those of cowboys of the old West. Matt Randolph, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 For Benton, who rose to fame playing War and Peace’s Natasha Rostova in the musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, this unprecedented depiction of 19th-century Black life is the result of years of research and conversations with the series’ producers and histories. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 July 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 19 Jul. 2025.

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