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
The boycott also follows weeks of mounting global backlash against companies like Tesla, led by billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk, who has publicly aligned himself with far-right parties in Europe and taken an increasingly active role in the Trump administration.
—
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
Check out Painter throwing darts in the '24 AFL:
And when Painter arrives, Suarez, who has excelled as a reliever, could get bumped to a relief role, which would tighten up one of the team’s weaker units, the bullpen (more on that in a bit).
—Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The cousins’ operational roles at Winthrop in recent years remain unclear.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 26 Mar. 2025
The agency sounded the warning to the state health department and the CDC, one example of local health departments’ important role in the public health safety net.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 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.
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
Check out Painter throwing darts in the '24 AFL:
And when Painter arrives, Suarez, who has excelled as a reliever, could get bumped to a relief role, which would tighten up one of the team’s weaker units, the bullpen (more on that in a bit).
—Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The cousins’ operational roles at Winthrop in recent years remain unclear.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 26 Mar. 2025
The agency sounded the warning to the state health department and the CDC, one example of local health departments’ important role in the public health safety net.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 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 29 Mar. 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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