role reversal

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   A situation in which two people or groups swap their usual positions or duties.

   Grammar: Used with 'a' or without an article: 'a role reversal' or 'role reversal happened'.

   Patterns

   • a role reversal between someone and someone
   • role reversal in something

   The film shows a role reversal, with the children telling the parents what to do.

   After the merger, there was a complete role reversal between the two departments.

   Role reversal in the classroom can help students see a topic from the teacher's side.

2. 2noununcountable

   The act of taking on the part normally played by someone else in a relationship or story.

   Grammar: Often used after 'of': 'the role reversal of parent and child'.

   Patterns

   • the role reversal of someone and someone

   The novel explores the role reversal of hunter and hunted.

   Their marriage involves a role reversal of traditional duties.

Word forms

Common combinations

a complete role reversal

The election produced a complete role reversal of the previous result.

role reversal between

There is an interesting role reversal between the two characters.

classic role reversal

It's a classic role reversal: the student becomes the teacher.

experience a role reversal

Many parents experience a role reversal when their children grow up.

Synonyms and how they differ

swap

A swap is a general exchange of things; role reversal specifically means exchanging social roles or positions.

turnaround

A turnaround is a change in a situation's direction, not necessarily an exchange of roles between people.

Word family

role noun

The part someone plays or the function they have.

reverse verb

To change something to its opposite direction or order.

Commonly confused: role reversal or role play?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “role reversal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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