To represent means to stand for something or someone else, to act on their behalf, or to be a symbol or example of something.

When elected officials represent their community in government, they speak and vote for the people who chose them. A class president represents their classmates, bringing their ideas and concerns to teachers and administrators. Lawyers represent clients in court, arguing their side of the case because the legal system is too complex for most people to navigate alone.

The word also means to show or depict something. A map represents the real world using lines, colors, and symbols. When you draw a picture of your dog, that drawing represents your actual pet. In math, the letter x might represent an unknown number you're trying to find.

Something can also represent a quality or idea. A lighthouse represents safety and guidance to sailors. An Olympic gold medal represents years of dedicated training and supreme athletic achievement. When someone says “That trophy represents all our hard work this season,” they mean it symbolizes something larger than the physical object itself.

Representation is the noun form. Fair representation means everyone's voice gets heard. In stories and movies, representation means showing diverse kinds of people and experiences so audiences can see themselves reflected.