paint a picture

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Definition

Verb phrase: 1. To describe something vividly, creating a clear mental image: To use words to depict a scene, situation, or concept so clearly that the listener or reader can easily visualize or understand it. 2. To suggest or imply a particular idea or feeling: To give an impression or convey a specific understanding through description or evidence.

Usage

This phrase is used to explain how verbal or written description creates understanding. It often precedes of to specify what is being described. * The author paints a picture of a bustling 19th-century market. * The data paints a picture of a company in serious financial trouble. * He asked her to paint a picture of her typical day.

Examples
  • The witness's testimony painted a picture of a chaotic and frightening scene.
  • These financial reports paint a bleak picture for the next quarter.
  • She painted a vivid picture of her childhood home, making me feel I had been there.
  • The documentary paints a disturbing picture of political corruption.
Advanced Usage
  • To paint a clear/rosy/bleak/grim picture: The phrase is frequently modified by an adjective () to specify the nature of the description.
    • The inspector's report painted a grim picture of safety standards at the factory.
  • To paint a picture of [something] as [adjective]: This structure is used to characterize the subject of the description.
    • The article paints a picture of the CEO as an innovative but ruthless leader.
Variants and Related Words
  • Depict (verb): To represent or show something in a picture or story.
  • Portray (verb): To describe or represent someone or something in a particular way.
  • Evoke (verb): To bring a feeling, memory, or image into the mind.
  • Conjure up (phrasal verb): To create a vivid image or idea in the mind.
Synonyms
  • Describe vividly
  • Depict
  • Portray
  • Convey an image of
  • Evoke
Related Idioms
  • A picture is worth a thousand words: This idiom highlights the power of visual imagery, which is the conceptual opposite of using many words to "paint a picture."
  • Paint someone/something in a good/bad light: To describe someone or something in a way that makes them seem good or bad.
    • The biography paints the former president in a very favorable light.
Verb
  1. call to mind
    • this remark evoked sadness

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