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

The findings, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, add to growing evidence that staying socially and culturally active could play an important role in healthy aging.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

"As long as it does not pose systemic risks, the government is happy to stabilise the market and gradually let other sectors play a more important role in the economy," Ng added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

She says that to get there, she leapt from one college job to another for close to a decade, using each new role to gain specialised skills that would help with her career advancement.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

His father, Ed, portrayed Bill Bauer on the daytime drama “Guiding Light” for years, while his mother, Dorothy, was known for her role on the hospital soap “The Doctors.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

After a while, one actually succeeds in a dual role.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Layoffs in the video game industry have been commonplace since 2022, with estimates suggesting nearly 58,000 roles have been cut , externalworldwide.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

To her, lily padding is the future of work, not just a trend, as people who follow the tactic try to reach more senior roles and higher pay.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Chase was known for her versatility, demonstrated by her roles in “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring” in the same year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor known for his roles in ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘The Piano’ and ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ has died.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

In the 1960s, the roles would be reversed.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

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