variants
also rôles
as in tasks
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 roles
But the group, particularly his and Tina's roles in shaping their look, sound, and legacy, still seems to be a sensitive subject for Mathew.
—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
The direction reduces the lead performances to flash and flare, while actors in supporting roles are left inhabiting stereotypes.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
The intense scrutiny on student walkouts thrust young people into new roles navigating the pitfalls, logistics and emotional debate of speaking out on a divisive political topic.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
Both have been reliably progressive votes in their current roles and telegenic faces across cable news and social media.
—Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
So do the detectives on the pair’s trail (Peter Sarsgaard, Penélope Cruz), whose dynamic is another, more real-world commentary on gender roles.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
First hired by the Magic in 1989, Alex Martins has held various senior-level management roles for Orlando from his first stint with the franchise between ’89-98 and upon his return to the organization in 2005.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
Laura Linney and Paula Patton have been cast in the series in undisclosed roles.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
China could have also tried to learn what tactics F-35 pilots use to avoid detection in both offensive strike and air defense roles.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
The direction reduces the lead performances to flash and flare, while actors in supporting roles are left inhabiting stereotypes.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
The intense scrutiny on student walkouts thrust young people into new roles navigating the pitfalls, logistics and emotional debate of speaking out on a divisive political topic.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
Both have been reliably progressive votes in their current roles and telegenic faces across cable news and social media.
—Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
So do the detectives on the pair’s trail (Peter Sarsgaard, Penélope Cruz), whose dynamic is another, more real-world commentary on gender roles.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
First hired by the Magic in 1989, Alex Martins has held various senior-level management roles for Orlando from his first stint with the franchise between ’89-98 and upon his return to the organization in 2005.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
Laura Linney and Paula Patton have been cast in the series in undisclosed roles.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
China could have also tried to learn what tactics F-35 pilots use to avoid detection in both offensive strike and air defense roles.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roles
Noun
-
No workers for mundane tasks Diez revealed that manufacturers worldwide are struggling to find laborers for highly repetitive physical tasks.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
-
HostArmada puts all its eggs in the virtual machine/virtualization basket, which may impede you from deploying Windows-specific applications, building custom hardware configurations, or running GPU-intensive tasks.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Express Employment Professionals, a staffing agency that has worked with 13 NCIA graduates in the last 18 months, confirmed that many could not be placed because the positions require a full license for insurance purposes.—
Brendan Hellweg,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Since July, Beijing has tried to curb excessive competition within industries while at the same time making sure jobs are protected.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Despite the explosion of AI creating more tech jobs, competition for those entry-level roles is just as hard.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the administrators may focus on administering the obesity benefits to employees, dealing with core functions such as enrollment, eligibility, claims and more.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Upstairs, the penthouse level functions as a private living room for major sporting events and intimate dinners, complete with a poker room.—
David Morris,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As conflict destabilizes parts of the Middle East, the ripple effects are already reaching the region’s luxury economy, which has become a promising growth engine for a struggling global sector.—
Tara Donaldson,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The show is equal parts investigation into the craft of writing and conversation about the topics of an author’s work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Many works of Georges Méliès are even believed to have been burned as the original negatives, as the nitrate film stock is incredibly fragile and inflammable.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The organization was founded in 1992 with a series of artist commissions and installations for specific places, focused on public engagement with the arts and the social and political contexts explored in these works.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Roles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roles. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
