play the part
idiom
: to act the part of (a particular character) in a film, play, etc.
He often plays the part of the villain.
—often used figurativelyI've played the part of (the) devoted wife and mother, and now I want to do something more with my life.
He was playing the part of (the) gracious host.
Examples of play the part in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Managers even do live role-play scenarios with professional actors who play the part of their team members.
—
Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
In the film, Cline will play a pop star; sources say Apatow and studio execs had been looking at real-life pop stars to play the part but in recent weeks had opened up the audition process.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
His oldest son, 5-year-old Liam, dribbled a basketball around his siblings and begged his mother to play the part of the actual hoop.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Luckily, her best friend Luka Peters is willing to step in, hot chocolate in hand, and play the part.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play the part
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Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
In the film, Cline will play a pop star; sources say Apatow and studio execs had been looking at real-life pop stars to play the part but in recent weeks had opened up the audition process.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
His oldest son, 5-year-old Liam, dribbled a basketball around his siblings and begged his mother to play the part of the actual hoop.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Luckily, her best friend Luka Peters is willing to step in, hot chocolate in hand, and play the part.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play the part
Cite this Entry
“Play the part.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20the%20part. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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