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
With roles reversed, Democrats could be in line to get blamed for a new shutdown.
—
Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
That also hints to the possibility that the Palestinian Authority’s police – which has long been accused by Palestinians of working in concert with the Israelis to provide security in the West Bank – could take up this role.
—Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
The View moderator Goldberg is an EGOT-winning actress known for roles in Ghost, Sister Act, and The Color Purple.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
And now, after a nearly two-decade hiatus, during which Westmoreland dabbled in acting, with roles as a crook and a homeless man, Siberia is back—once again in the subway—beneath the Hearst Building, on Fifty-seventh Street.
—Ben McGrath, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for role
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.
Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
That also hints to the possibility that the Palestinian Authority’s police – which has long been accused by Palestinians of working in concert with the Israelis to provide security in the West Bank – could take up this role.
—Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
The View moderator Goldberg is an EGOT-winning actress known for roles in Ghost, Sister Act, and The Color Purple.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
And now, after a nearly two-decade hiatus, during which Westmoreland dabbled in acting, with roles as a crook and a homeless man, Siberia is back—once again in the subway—beneath the Hearst Building, on Fifty-seventh Street.
—Ben McGrath, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 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 3 Oct. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share