variants
also rôle
as in purpose
the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists
studying the role of sunlight in the body's production of vitamin D
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of role
In January, the military implemented a strict waist-to-height body composition ratio, regardless of a troop’s particular role.
—
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 June 2026
Hiatt previously served as chief operating officer of California Naturals and prior to that held multiple leadership roles at Glossier.
—Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 3 June 2026
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
There are also very few news vehicles that will give producers the same kind of role.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for role
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 June 2026
Hiatt previously served as chief operating officer of California Naturals and prior to that held multiple leadership roles at Glossier.
—Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 3 June 2026
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
There are also very few news vehicles that will give producers the same kind of role.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for role
Recent Examples of Synonyms for role
Noun
-
My novel is about that sea-change and the search for purpose.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
While there is nothing particularly Jordanian about the design, the interiors serve multiple purposes for visiting business travelers and tourists.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
And Vizakis now has the behemoth task of trying to keep it that way.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
-
That task was best tackled by the great Brazilian poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, whose tribute, published in the Jornal do Brasil, captured the nuances of the collective mood.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
On one side were Carson’s years growing up in provincial Columbus, Georgia, and the succession of Southern towns to which her husband’s job had called them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
Kory Kantenga, head of economics for the Americas at LinkedIn, explained how the high prices consumers are seeing at gas pumps may affect their teenager’s ability to land a job at their local grocer.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Potassium is an essential electrolyte used for cellular metabolism, nerve and muscle function, and heartrate whereas phosphorous has multiple functions including regulation of metabolism.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
Inside, the ship functions like a floating city, with pilots, flight crews, cooks, doctors and firefighters all working around the clock while deployed around the world.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
But violence has since roared back, in part because armed groups have taken advantage of peace negotiations with Petro’s government to make territorial gains.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
All three of the women at the center of Starry were staunchly individualistic and gravitated differently toward and then away from a sense of being part of a group.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Role.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/role. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
