verbs
portray in words
"The book portrays the actor as a selfish person"
is a type of (narrower)
serve as a means of expressing something
"The flower represents a young girl"
make a portrait of
"Goya wanted to portray his mistress, the Duchess of Alba"
assume or act the character of
"She impersonates Madonna"; "The actor portrays an elderly, lonely man"
represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture
"The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this painting"