variants
or less commonly rôle
1
a(1)
: a character assigned or assumed
had to take on the role of both father and mother
(2)
: a socially expected behavior pattern usually determined by an individual's status in a particular society
b
: a part played by an actor or singer
2
: a function or part performed especially in a particular operation or process
played a major role in the negotiations
Examples of role in a Sentence
He plays the role of the villain.
She was given the starring role.
I had a minor role in the play.
After her husband left her, she had to take on the dual role of mother and father for her children.
She likes to play the role of matchmaker with her friends.
She challenged the traditional roles assigned to women.
We'll switch roles this time, and you can wash the dishes while I dry them.
It was a case of role reversal: the father stayed home with the children while the mother worked.
Recent Examples on the Web
Coach Scott Arniel likes to refer to him as a Swiss Army knife for his ability to play any role that the coaches ask of him.
—
Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Rubio said the Europeans had a central role to play in any peace pact, especially as their Russia sanctions over which Washington has no control would likely need to be lifted to secure an accord.
—Bart H. Meijer and Gabriel Stargardter, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
The thalamus has never been ruled out from being involved in conscious perception, however it has typically been assigned a minor role as a filter that prepares sensory information to the cortex.
—Jorge Garay, Wired News, 19 Apr. 2025
The District 3 race could also play a key role on whether Mahan successfully implements his policy agenda over the next year, as his bloc currently holds a slim voting advantage on the dais that could shift if Quevedo does not win the seat.
—Devan Patel, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for role
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Rubio said the Europeans had a central role to play in any peace pact, especially as their Russia sanctions over which Washington has no control would likely need to be lifted to secure an accord.
—Bart H. Meijer and Gabriel Stargardter, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
The thalamus has never been ruled out from being involved in conscious perception, however it has typically been assigned a minor role as a filter that prepares sensory information to the cortex.
—Jorge Garay, Wired News, 19 Apr. 2025
The District 3 race could also play a key role on whether Mahan successfully implements his policy agenda over the next year, as his bloc currently holds a slim voting advantage on the dais that could shift if Quevedo does not win the seat.
—Devan Patel, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for role
Cite this Entry
“Role.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/role. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
role
noun
variants
also rôle
1
a
: a character assigned or taken on
b
: a socially expected behavior pattern usually determined by an individual's status in a particular society
c
: a part played by an actor or singer
a starring role
2
: function entry 1 sense 2a
the role of enzymes in digestion
Etymology
from French rôle "part played by an actor," literally "scroll"; so called because before the use of books, the actor's parts were written on scrolls
Medical Definition
role
noun
variants
also rôle
: a socially prescribed pattern of behavior usually determined by an individual's status in a particular society
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