role

American  

[rohl] / roʊl /

Rarely rôle

noun

• roles
  plural

1. a part or character played by an actor or actress.

2. proper or customary function.

   the role of religion in society.

   Synonyms:

   duty, responsibility, position, function, capacity, part, character

3. the function assumed by a person or thing in a given action or process.

   Schools offer few practical tools to help students explore their role in shaping the future.

4. Sociology. the rights, obligations, and expected behavior patterns associated with a particular social status.

   When studying child development, it was critical to study the father's role.

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role British  

/ rəʊl /

noun

1. a part or character in a play, film, etc, to be played by an actor or actress

2. psychol the part played by a person in a particular social setting, influenced by his expectation of what is appropriate

3. usual or customary function

   what is his role in the organization?

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• multirole
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• roles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of role

First recorded in 1600–10; from French rôle “roll (of paper containing the actor's part)”; see roll

Explanation

A role is a part you play. In school, you might take on the role of clown, in your family, the role of the responsible one, on stage, the role of Juliet. Role can also mean job or function. It is the role of the police to keep the community safe, and political parties often argue about the role government should play in our lives. Roles can also be played by things. You can say that computers play an increasing role in our day-to-day lives and that the role of a hat is to keep your head warm. You look up to your role model because of the important role that they play in influencing others' lives.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

role roles

Delhi, he argues, has been somewhat overshadowed by Pakistan's recent diplomatic role in the Middle East, including its involvement in mediation efforts around the Iran war.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Italy's far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said that although their "backgrounds and perspectives differed, that never prevented me from acknowledging her significance and her role in our nation's public life".

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

But the day and its aftermath played a defining role, one marked by tragedy, miscalculation and consequence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Iamaleava played a vital role in keeping the offense on track.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

But she’d been too squirmy at two and three and four to play the role.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Our favorite games unfolded beneath the dining table; at times, we transformed it into a bus, traveling to unfamiliar places, as we took turns playing different roles: the driver, the passenger, and the ticket officer.

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026

Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe have said they will not have "fixed roles" on Strictly Come Dancing, as they prepare to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman later this month.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

There are similar roles at OpenAI and Google.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement Wednesday saying the city “intends to apply for some or all the roles related to the CoC administrative functions.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

"I'm not taking any more of those roles," said Daoud.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• act
• appearance
• aspect
• character
• part
• performance
• portrayal