represent
Other forms: represented; represents; representing
Use the word represent when something stands in for something else — whether it's your congressman representing your interests in Washington or the thimble that represents you as it makes its way around the Monopoly board.
We live in a democracy in which we elect a few people to represent the wishes and desires of the rest of us. Their job is literally to "re-present" the voters' demands in Congress. That's why we call them our "representatives." In the world of art, however, to represent something can mean to express its essence by means of something different. For example a ball of string can represent, or symbolize, a cat.
Definitions of represent
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be a delegate or spokesperson for; represent somebody's interest or be a proxy or substitute for, as of politicians and office holders representing their constituents, or of a tenant representing other tenants in a housing dispute“I represent the silent majority”
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type of:
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serve
do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function
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serve
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be the defense counsel for someone in a trial
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take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to
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synonyms:
correspond, stand for
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form or compose“This sum represents my entire income for a year”
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synonyms:
be, comprise, constitute, make up
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types:
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make
constitute the essence of
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compose
form the substance of
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constitute, form, make
compose or represent
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range, straddle
range or extend over; occupy a certain area
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fall into, fall under
be included in or classified as
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pose, present
introduce
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supplement
serve as a supplement to
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chelate
form a chelate, in chemistry
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spread-eagle
stretch over
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add
constitute an addition
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express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol
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synonyms:
emblematize, stand for, symbolise, symbolize, typify
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be characteristic of
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be representative or typical for“This period is represented by Beethoven”
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types:
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instantiate
represent by an instance
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speak for
be a spokesperson for
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type of:
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be
have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
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instantiate
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serve as a means of expressing something“The flower represents a young girl”
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belie, misrepresent
represent falsely
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dramatise, dramatize
represent something in a dramatic manner
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portray
portray in words
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embody
represent or express something abstract in tangible form
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sentimentalise, sentimentalize
look at with sentimentality or turn into an object of sentiment
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distort, falsify, garble, warp
make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story
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affect, dissemble, feign, pretend, sham
make believe with the intent to deceive
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overdramatise, overdramatize
present in an overly dramatic manner
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type of:
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express, give tongue to, utter, verbalise, verbalize
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
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create an image or likeness of“The painter represented his wife as a young girl”
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synonyms:
interpret
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carnalise, carnalize, sensualise, sensualize
represent materialistically, as in a painting or a sculpture
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silhouette
represent by a silhouette
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animalise, animalize
represent in the form of an animal
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profile
represent in profile, by drawing or painting
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paint
make a painting of
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capture
succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
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depict, picture, render, show
show in, or as in, a picture
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conventionalize, stylise, stylize
represent according to a conventional style
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map
make a map of; show or establish the features of details of
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depict, limn, portray
make a portrait of
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portray, present
represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture
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draw
represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface
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mock up, model
construct a model of
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chart, graph
represent by means of a graph
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chart
make a chart of
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plat, plot
make a plat of
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repaint
paint again
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recapture
take up anew
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illustrate
depict with an illustration
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map
depict as if on a map
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pencil
write, draw, or trace with a pencil
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commend
present as worthy of regard, kindness, or confidence
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delineate, limn, outline
trace the shape of
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rule
mark or draw with a ruler
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chalk
write, draw, or trace with chalk
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project
draw a projection of
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crayon
write, draw, or trace with a crayon
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check, checker, chequer
mark into squares or draw squares on; draw crossed lines on
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charcoal
draw, trace, or represent with charcoal
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doodle
make a doodle; draw aimlessly
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diagram, plot
make a schematic or technical drawing of that shows interactions among variables or how something is constructed
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cartoon
draw cartoons of
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fill in, shade
represent the effect of shade or shadow on
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chalk out, sketch
make a sketch of
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type of:
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re-create
create anew
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play a role or part
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act, act as, play
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
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act, play, playact, roleplay
perform on a stage or theater
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play
pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity
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make, make believe, pretend
represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
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support
play a subordinate role to (another performer)
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act out, enact, reenact
act out; represent or perform as if in a play
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act out
represent an incident, state, or emotion by action, especially on stage
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impersonate, portray
assume or act the character of
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parody
make a spoof of or make fun of
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emote
give expression or emotion to, in a stage or movie role
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reprise
play a role again; repeat a performance
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go through the motions
pretend to do something by acting as if one was really doing it
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type of:
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re-create
create anew
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act, act as, play
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perform (a play), especially on a stage
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describe or present, usually with respect to a particular quality
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bring forward and present to the mind“We cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reason”
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argue, reason
present reasons and arguments
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argue, indicate
give evidence of
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spin
twist and turn so as to give an intended interpretation
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re-argue
argue again
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expostulate
reason with (somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion
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defend, fend for, support
argue or speak in defense of
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sugarcoat
cause to appear more pleasant or appealing
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point out or draw attention to in protest or remonstrance“our parents represented to us the need for more caution”
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type of:
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point out, remonstrate
present and urge reasons in opposition
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point out, remonstrate
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to establish a mapping (of mathematical elements or sets)
Pronunciation
US
/ˌˈrɛprəˌˈzɛnt/
UK
/rɛprɛˈzɛnt/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘represent'.
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