REPRESENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does represent mean? 

• REPRESENT (verb)
  The verb REPRESENT has 15 senses:

1. take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to

2. express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol

3. be representative or typical for

4. 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

5. serve as a means of expressing something

6. be characteristic of

7. form or compose

8. be the defense counsel for someone in a trial

9. create an image or likeness of

10. play a role or part

11. perform (a play), especially on a stage

12. describe or present, usually with respect to a particular quality

13. point out or draw attention to in protest or remonstrance

14. bring forward and present to the mind

15. to establish a mapping (of mathematical elements or sets)

  Familiarity information: REPRESENT used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REPRESENT (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

correspond; represent; stand for

Context example:

Because of the sound changes in the course of history, an 'h' in Greek stands for an 's' in Latin

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

be; equal (be identical or equivalent to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

representation (an activity that stands as an equivalent of something or results in an equivalent)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

represent; stand for; symbolise; symbolize; typify

Context example:

What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

intend; mean (mean or intend to express or convey)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

be; embody; personify (represent, as of a character on stage)

epitomise; epitomize; typify (embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

representation (a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image)

representative (standing for something else)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be representative or typical for

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

This period is represented by Beethoven

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

instantiate (represent by an instance)

speak for (be a spokesperson for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

representative (serving to represent or typify)

Sense 4

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

I represent the silent majority

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

serve (do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

representation (the act of representing; standing in for someone or some group and speaking with authority in their behalf)

representation (a body of legislators that serve in behalf of some constituency)

representation (the state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agent)

representative (being or characteristic of government by representation in which citizens exercise power through elected officers and representatives)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Serve as a means of expressing something

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The flower represents a young girl

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

express; give tongue to; utter; verbalise; verbalize (articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

portray (portray in words)

embody (represent or express something abstract in tangible form)

dramatise; dramatize (represent something in a dramatic manner)

belie; misrepresent (represent falsely)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

representative (standing for something else)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Be characteristic of

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

exemplify; represent

Context example:

This compositional style is exemplified by this fugue

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

be; embody; personify (represent, as of a character on stage)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Form or compose

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

be; comprise; constitute; make up; represent

Context example:

These few men comprise his entire army

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

make (constitute the essence of)

compose (form the substance of)

constitute; form; make (to compose or represent)

range; straddle (range or extend over; occupy a certain area)

fall into; fall under (be included in or classified as)

pose; present (introduce)

supplement (serve as a supplement to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 8

Meaning:

Be the defense counsel for someone in a trial

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

defend; represent

Context example:

Ms. Smith will represent the defendant

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to represent the prisoners

Derivation:

representation (the act of representing; standing in for someone or some group and speaking with authority in their behalf)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Create an image or likeness of

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

interpret; represent

Context example:

The painter represented his wife as a young girl

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

re-create (create anew)

Domain category:

art; artistic creation; artistic production (the creation of beautiful or significant things)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

portray; present (represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture)

chart; graph (represent by means of a graph)

mock up; model (construct a model of)

draw (represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface)

depict; limn; portray (make a portrait of)

map (make a map of; show or establish the features of details of)

conventionalize; stylise; stylize (represent according to a conventional style)

capture (succeed in representing or expressing something intangible)

paint (make a painting of)

profile (represent in profile, by drawing or painting)

animalise; animalize (represent in the form of an animal)

silhouette (represent by a silhouette)

carnalize; sensualize (represent materialistically, as in a painting or a sculpture)

depict; picture; render; show (show in, or as in, a picture)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

representation (a creation that is a visual or tangible rendering of someone or something)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Play a role or part

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

act; play; represent

Context example:

She played the servant to her husband's master

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

re-create (create anew)

Verb group:

act; play; playact; roleplay (perform on a stage or theater)

act; act as; play (pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind)

play (pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity)

Domain category:

performing arts (arts or skills that require public performance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

impersonate; portray (assume or act the character of)

emote (give expression or emotion to, in a stage or movie role)

parody (make a spoof of or make fun of)

act out (represent an incident, state, or emotion by action, especially on stage)

act out; enact; reenact (act out; represent or perform as if in a play)

support (play a subordinate role to (another performer))

make; make believe; pretend (represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

representation (a performance of a play)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Perform (a play), especially on a stage

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

present; represent; stage

Context example:

we are going to stage 'Othello'

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

re-create (create anew)

Domain category:

performing arts (arts or skills that require public performance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

localise; localize; place; set (locate)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

representation (a performance of a play)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Describe or present, usually with respect to a particular quality

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

He represented this book as an example of the Russian 19th century novel

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

depict; describe; draw (give a description of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

symbolise; symbolize (represent or identify by using a symbol; use symbols)

actualise; actualize (represent or describe realistically)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 13

Meaning:

Point out or draw attention to in protest or remonstrance

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

our parents represented to us the need for more caution

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

point out; remonstrate (present and urge reasons in opposition)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

representation (a statement of facts and reasons made in appealing or protesting)

Sense 14

Meaning:

Bring forward and present to the mind

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

lay out; present; represent

Context example:

We cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reason

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

argue; indicate (give evidence of)

spin (twist and turn so as to give an intended interpretation)

argue; reason (present reasons and arguments)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

representation (a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image)

Sense 15

Meaning:

To establish a mapping (of mathematical elements or sets)

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

map; represent

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

commute; permute; transpose (change the order or arrangement of)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something PP

 Context examples 

A character or string that represents a microbiology specimen examination.

(Microbiology Specimen Test, NCI Thesaurus)

But I leave my partner to represent the firm.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The substitution of missing data with a value that represents the average of a group of specified values.

(Average of Value Derivation Technique, NCI Thesaurus)

The circumstance was precisely as this lady has represented it.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

A sequence of characters that represents a microbiology specimen examination.

(Microbiology Specimen Test Code, NCI Thesaurus)

A character or string that represents a microbiology susceptibility examination.

(Microbiology Susceptibility Test, NCI Thesaurus)

A character or string that represents a microbiology susceptibility group.

(Microbiology Susceptibility Group Identifier, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers found that seizures could be prevented with relatively small doses of drug representing less than 1% of the total amount of drug loaded into the device.

(Electronic device implanted in the brain could stop seizures, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Meglitinide represents the basic structure of the meglitinide-type agents and is not used therapeutically.

(Meglitinide, NCI Thesaurus)

Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease is rare, representing less than 10% of all people who have Alzheimer’s.

(Unique case of disease resistance reveals possible Alzheimer’s treatment, National Institutes of Health)