What's the difference between depict and describe?

How do I use depict in a sentence?

Is depict common in academic writing?

← Dictionary

depict

/dɪˈpɪkt/

IELTSAcademic

verb

To show or describe something in words or images.

The painting depicts a quiet village.
His novel depicts a hopeful future.
The photo depicts everyday life.

Adinary Nuance

Near-neighbors: depict focuses on showing or representing what you see, unlike describe (which reports details in words) or portray (which often implies a character’s personality). Use depict for visual or concrete representation, and choose describe for verbal detail or portray for deeper character insight.

In other languages

Spanish: mostrar
Japanese: 描く
Korean: 그리다
Vietnamese: miêu tả
Chinese: 描绘

Common phrases

depict a scenedepict the truthdepict a character

Synonyms

show illustrate represent portray display

Frequently asked questions

Is depict formal or informal?: Is depict formal or informal?
What's the difference between depict and describe?: What's the difference between depict and describe?
How do I use depict in a sentence?: How do I use depict in a sentence?
Is depict common in academic writing?: Is depict common in academic writing?