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

Davis’ attorney argued to the jury that the memoir was merely an attempt to sell books and that Davis fabricated his role in Shakur’s death.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

Leo was elected as head of the Roman Catholic Church in May 2025, the first American to hold the role.

From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2026

"When we see RJ Mitte on TV just playing a role, but who also happens to have CP, I think that's really powerful."

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The Education Department has moved toward repealing its recognition of the ABA council’s role in accrediting law schools.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

But, to be honest, learning everyone’s names seemed like a waste of time when I could be learning about the nitty.gritty details of George Washington’s role as our nation’s first spymaster.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Royal Mail has battled with increased competition and falling demand for letter deliveries in recent years, and last week announced plans to cut 2,500 head office and other supporting roles by the end of 2027.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Some businesses have implemented AI agents as “digital employees” in roles such as customer service, sales, accounting, data analysis and even HR.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The DNA recordings also revealed important information about when cells begin committing to their eventual roles in the body.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

Of the four-person ensemble, I was most intrigued by Rachna Khatau, the wild card of the group whose roles are the most slyly scheming and unpredictable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

This included the esteem accorded to women who held life-giving roles as healers and midwives.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Related Words

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