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

Keiser, who runs a consulting firm called Wild Oat Hollow, would play the role of matchmaker—setting up the homeowners with farm animals that could graze their lands. — Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026

The two will play the role of father and son in the debut feature film from writer-director Evan Coury that started shooting this month northeast of Pittsburgh. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for play the role

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