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
Butler went on to play a huge role for the Warriors in the second half of the season.
—
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Notable films in the decade that followed include supporting roles in Wall Street, The Hit, Young Guns, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, where Stamp’s turn as a transgender woman earned him both a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination for Best Actor.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2025
The biggest beneficiaries of the change have been Sam Vines, who can now play a bigger attacking role, and Yapi, who still slots into a central role, but can also make waves on the wing.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Stamp had supporting roles in Legal Eagles (1986) and Wall Street (1988), then received critical praise for portraying a veteran English crook in the Steven Soderbergh crime drama The Limey (1999).
—Rhett Bartlett, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for role
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Notable films in the decade that followed include supporting roles in Wall Street, The Hit, Young Guns, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, where Stamp’s turn as a transgender woman earned him both a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination for Best Actor.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2025
The biggest beneficiaries of the change have been Sam Vines, who can now play a bigger attacking role, and Yapi, who still slots into a central role, but can also make waves on the wing.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Stamp had supporting roles in Legal Eagles (1986) and Wall Street (1988), then received critical praise for portraying a veteran English crook in the Steven Soderbergh crime drama The Limey (1999).
—Rhett Bartlett, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 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
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