play the role
idiom
: to act the part of (a particular character) in a film, play, etc.
He often plays the role of the villain.
—often used figurativelyHe was playing the role of (the) gracious host.
Examples of play the role in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To play the role, White spent hours studying Springsteen—listening to his memoir on tape, watching old interviews—but knew to avoid imitation.
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Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Strahovski will play the role of County State Attorney, Delaney.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
Robert Webber went on to play the role.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
Hamill was reluctant to play the role, given his aversion to gun violence and general horror.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play the role
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Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Strahovski will play the role of County State Attorney, Delaney.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
Robert Webber went on to play the role.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
Hamill was reluctant to play the role, given his aversion to gun violence and general horror.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play the role
Cite this Entry
“Play the role.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20the%20role. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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