persona

noun

Definition of personanext
as in image
the way you behave, talk, etc., with other people that causes them to see you as a particular kind of person His public persona is that of a strong, determined leader, but in private life he's very insecure. The band takes on a whole new persona when they perform live.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of persona Each of those pieces of her public-facing persona seemed to naturally grow from a vast discography where Parton established herself as hardscrabble, emotionally forthright and full of intuition. — Ethan Beck, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026 All these accolades and swift-but-eventful years later, the persona of the guy who became a wonder of the world remains intact and part of his unique appeal. — Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026 Sesay characterized the persona as an alter ego — a provocative internet character that Andrew uses to attract attention, entertain an audience and make money. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Mary McNamara explored Parton’s unexpected persona as a feminist icon. — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for persona
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persona
  1. image
  2. portrayal
  3. facade
  4. appearance
Noun
  • Following Abloh’s death in November 2021, Kamara was appointed as art and image director and presented his first show, Spring/Summer 2023, in Paris that year.
    — Luke Leitch, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The telescope’s first images are expected in the beginning months of 2027.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of image
Noun
  • The film stars Will Smith in his Oscar-winning portrayal of the Williams sisters’ father, Richard Williams.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Adventureland and Zombieland brought his wider recognition, followed by his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of portrayal
Noun
  • The two-family home, designed by the Swiss architect Inès Lamunière, with a severe white stucco and glass façade, highlighter-orange doors, and twisting form, stood out in a neighborhood of 19th-century brownstones and multifamily brick buildings.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Yet behind the spectacle, the biggest symbols of their supposedly limitless riches were a facade to make their lives appear better than reality, according to the brothers’ own lawyers.
    — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of facade
Noun
  • The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion is currently playing in her 26th US Open—making more appearances than any other player in tennis history.
    — Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Its activities include track experiences, celebrity appearances, original media content and access to rare cars such as the McLaren GT3X, one of only 15 built.
    — Chris Teague, AJC.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of appearance

Browse Nearby Words

person
persona
personable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Persona.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persona. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on persona

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about persona

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of matriculate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All