role-playing

American  

[rohl-pley-ing] / ˈroʊlˌpleɪ ɪŋ /

noun

1. a method of instruction or psychotherapy aimed at changing attitudes and behavior, in which participants act out designated roles relevant to real-life situations.

2. the modifying of a person's behavior to accord with a desired personal image, as to impress others or conform to a particular environment.

---

role-playing British  

noun

1. psychol activity in which a person imitates, consciously or unconsciously, a role uncharacteristic of himself See also psychodrama

---

Etymology

Origin of role-playing

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

The game also missed out on the narrative award, which went to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - a role-playing game with a complex story that changes in response to player actions.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

That set off a lengthy role-playing scenario in which Gemini recruited him to be its “eyes and ears” among humans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Hidden behind the upstairs bar is what’s called the Tempered Flask Tavern, and it’s an elaborate tabletop role-playing game room.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

We opted for a role-playing framework instead of a direct question to navigate around LLM guardrails.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 27, 2025

All of them were fascinated by games—board games, video games, card games, role-playing games, trading-card games.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater