Role — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈrōl/

Meaning & Definition of Role

Role (noun)

  1. a character assigned or assumed
  2. a socially expected behavior pattern usually determined by an individual's status in a particular society
  3. a part played by an actor or singer

Role (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists

    "studying the role of sunlight in the body's production of vitamin D"

    similar: business, capacity, function, job, part, place, position, purpose, task, work
    related: affair, concern, hand, involvement, participation, niche, office, post, situation, calling, occupation, pursuit, vocation, activity, assignment, charge, commission, duty, employ, mission, responsibility, service, use

Related Entry: Role model (noun)

Role model is a different word from Role. The synonyms below are for role model, not for role.

  1. someone who another person admires and tries to be like

    "Parents need to be good role models for their children."

    "Athletes should remember that they are role models."

    similar: embodiment, epitome, incarnation, manifestation, personification, phantom, pink, beau ideal, classic, eidolon, exemplar, idea, ideal, model, nonesuch, nonpareil, paragon, patron saint, archetype, example, mirror, paradigm, pattern, guideline, principle, rule, gauge, standard, touchstone, essence, quintessence, acme, apex, apotheosis, culmination, peak, pinnacle, summit, zenith

Related Entry: Role-play (verb)

Role-play is a different word from Role. The synonyms below are for role-play, not for role.

  1. as in enact, take on

    similar: act out, enact, pantomime, playact, take on, depict, dramatize, render, represent, overact, overplay, underplay, act, do, impersonate, interpret, perform, play, portray, ape, clown, ham, imitate, masquerade, mime, mimic, pose (as), star (in), coact, costar

Related Entry: Role-played (verb)

Role-played is a different word from Role. The synonyms below are for role-played, not for role.

  1. as in enacted, took on

    similar: acted out, enacted, pantomimed, playacted, took on, depicted, dramatized, rendered, represented, overacted, overplayed, underplayed, acted, did, impersonated, interpreted, performed, played, portrayed, aped, clowned, hammed, imitated, masqueraded, mimed, mimicked, posed (as), starred (in), coacted, costarred

Related Entry: Role-playing (verb)

Role-playing is a different word from Role. The synonyms below are for role-playing, not for role.

  1. as in enacting, taking on

    similar: acting out, enacting, pantomiming, playacting, taking on, depicting, dramatizing, rendering, representing, overacting, overplaying, underplaying, acting, doing, impersonating, interpreting, performing, playing, portraying, aping, clowning, hamming, imitating, masquerading, mimicking, miming, posing (as), starring (in), coacting, costarring

Related Entry: Role-plays (verb)

Role-plays is a different word from Role. The synonyms below are for role-plays, not for role.

  1. as in enacts, takes on

    similar: acts out, enacts, pantomimes, playacts, takes on, depicts, dramatizes, renders, represents, overacts, overplays, underplays, acts, does, impersonates, interprets, performs, plays, portrays, apes, clowns, hams, imitates, masquerades, mimes, mimics, poses (as), stars (in), coacts, costars

Related Entry: Role models (noun)

Role models is a different word from Role. The synonyms below are for role models, not for role.

  1. someone who another person admires and tries to be like

    "Parents need to be good role models for their children."

    "Athletes should remember that they are role models."

    similar: embodiments, epitomes, incarnations, manifestations, personifications, phantoms, pinks, beau ideals, classics, eidolons, exemplars, ideals, ideas, models, nonesuches, nonpareils, paragons, patron saints, archetypes, examples, mirrors, paradigms, patterns, guidelines, principles, rules, gauges, standards, touchstones, essences, quintessences, acmes, apexes, apotheoses, culminations, peaks, pinnacles, summits, zeniths

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Role

The most common words with a similar meaning to Role:

business, capacity, function, job, part, place, position, purpose, task, work

Related Words for Role

affair, concern, hand, involvement, participation, niche, office, post, situation, calling, occupation, pursuit, vocation, activity, assignment, charge, commission, duty, employ, mission, responsibility, service, use

Origin & Etymology of Role

French rôle, literally, roll, from Old French rolle

First known use: 1605

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Role

Words & Phrases Containing Role

role model, role-play, role-playing game, have a role to play, play the role, speaking part/role

Frequently Asked Questions about Role

What does "Role" mean?

"Role" means a character assigned or assumed. As a noun, it is defined as: a character assigned or assumed.

What is another word for "Role"?

Other words for "Role" include business, capacity, function, job, part, place, position and purpose. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Role" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Role"?

There are 33 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Role". Common alternatives include business, capacity, function, job, part, place, position, purpose, task and work.

How do you use "Role" in a sentence?

Examples of "Role" in a sentence: "studying the role of sunlight in the body's production of vitamin D".

Is "Role" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Role" is a noun.

Is "Role" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Role" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Role"?

"Role" is pronounced /ˈrōl/.

What is the origin of the word "Role"?

"Role" comes from French rôle, literally, roll, from Old French rolle. First known use: 1605.