variants
or less commonly roleplay
role-played also roleplayed; role-playing also roleplaying; role-plays also roleplays
1
: to act out the role of
2
: to represent in action
students were asked to role-play the thoughts and feelings of each character—
R. G. Lambert
R. G. Lambert
: to play a role
role-play
noun
or less commonly roleplay
plural role-plays also roleplays
I practice this with student social workers through case studies and role-play.
—Kevin Brazant, quoted in psychologytoday.com
Kevin Brazant, quoted in psychologytoday.com
Examples of role-play in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is where role-play with AI becomes a powerful—and largely untapped path to mastery.
—Rhea Wessel, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Even when it was released in full, developer Larian Studios didn't stop there — it's been updated and added onto countless times since its launch, making it by far one of the biggest, greatest, and most in-depth role-playing games of all time.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
For example, one box focuses on navigating and communicating consent and includes role-play scenarios where kids can practice saying yes and saying no in different situations.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 24 Aug. 2025
Over the past year, the district reversed course, rolling out Google’s Gemini chatbot to high-school classrooms where teachers are now using it to role-play historical figures and provide students with tutoring and instant feedback on assignments.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for role-play
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Rhea Wessel, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Even when it was released in full, developer Larian Studios didn't stop there — it's been updated and added onto countless times since its launch, making it by far one of the biggest, greatest, and most in-depth role-playing games of all time.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
For example, one box focuses on navigating and communicating consent and includes role-play scenarios where kids can practice saying yes and saying no in different situations.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 24 Aug. 2025
Over the past year, the district reversed course, rolling out Google’s Gemini chatbot to high-school classrooms where teachers are now using it to role-play historical figures and provide students with tutoring and instant feedback on assignments.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for role-play
Cite this Entry
“Role-play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/role-play. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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