Meaning & use
roles
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“roles” is a form of “role”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountable
The function or part that a person or thing has in a situation, group, or activity.
Grammar: Countable; often used with the preposition in: the role of the teacher in education.
Patterns
- role in something
- role of someone/something
- play a role
- take on a role
Teachers have an important role in shaping young minds.
What is the role of the heart in the body?
She took on a leadership role in the project.
nouncountable
The character played by an actor in a film, play, or television show.
Grammar: Countable; often used with play or take: play the role of Hamlet.
Patterns
- play a role
- the role of someone
- star in a role
He won an award for his role in the movie.
She was offered the leading role in the new musical.
The actor learned his lines for the role in just two days.
nouncountable
The expected behavior or duties associated with a particular position or relationship.
Grammar: Often used in the plural: gender roles, family roles.
Patterns
- gender roles
- family roles
- traditional roles
Traditional gender roles have changed in many societies.
Each member of the team has clear roles and responsibilities.
Parents often struggle to balance their roles at home and at work.
Word forms
| singular | role |
|---|
Common combinations
- play a role
- She played a key role in the negotiations.
- key role
- He had a key role in the success of the event.
- role model
- Athletes are often seen as role models for young people.
- leading role
- She was given the leading role in the play.
- role in
- What is your role in the company?
Synonyms and how they differ
- part
- Part can mean a role in a play or a function in a situation, but it is less formal than role.
- function
- Function refers to the purpose or duty of something, often in a technical or biological context.
- character
- Character is a person in a story or play; role is the part an actor plays or a person's function.
Word family
- role noun
- Singular form; a function or character.
Commonly confused: roles or roll?
roles vs roll
A roll is a piece of bread, a list, or a rolling movement. Role is a function or character. They sound the same but are spelled differently.
Practice
In the new film, she ______ the role of a brave detective.
Choose one answer.
The correct verb with role is play: play the role of someone. Do, make, and take do not collocate with role in this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “roles”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.