play the role

phrase

: to act the part of (a particular character) in a film, play, etc.

He often plays the role of the villain.

—often used figuratively

He was playing the role of (the) gracious host.

Examples of play the role in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That means even a clump large enough to play the role of a gravitational lens would be undetectable. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Kit Connor will play the role of Cyclops, a mutant who shoots energy from his eyes and is also Jean's love interest from the comic books and the movies. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026

Hampshire will play the role of Vanessa, while Ryding and Naylor will take the roles of hockey players Luca Haas and Wyatt Hayes. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026

The new Peacock series Crystal Lake will welcome a new scream queen in Linda Cardellini, who will play the role of Pamela Voorhees, mother of Jason Voorhees, the infamous serial killer from the Friday the 13th films. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for play the role

• amphibole
• asystole
• buttonhole
• casserole
• centriole
• decontrol
• glycerol
• metropole
• monopole
• multipole
• omeprazole
• oriole