Role Played I Play Rəʊl Important Lead Women

• she has landed the lead role (= the most important one) in a new play.
• a leading/starring role
• he played the role of sonny in ‘the godfather’.
• the changing role of women

role

1. an actor’s part in a play, film, etc.
• She has landed the lead role (= the most important one) in a new play.
• a leading/starring role
• He played the role of Sonny in ‘The Godfather’.

Extra Examples

• Ethan Hawke does a solid job in a thankless role.
• He has the starring role in the movie.
• He was very good in the role.
• In the series, Smith assumes the role of the go-between.
• It took her three years to land her first film role.
• Lee began to get big roles in movies.
• Most of the original cast are reprising their roles.
• She interprets the role as more tragic than I expected.
• She sings the title role in Tosca.
• The supporting roles are filled by British actors.
• This is the plum role in the play.
• Walken carefully underplays the role.
• a starring female role
• one of his stereotypical action hero roles
• the chance to sink her teeth into the meaty role of femme fatale Margaret
• Playing the role of Hamlet is an immense challenge for the actor.
• It is one of the greatest roles she has played.
2. the function or position that somebody has or is expected to have in an organization, in society or in a relationship
• the changing role of women
• the artist's role in society
• He is stepping down from his role as chair.
• I welcome the opportunity to assume a leadership role within the organization.
• In many marriages there has been a complete role reversal (= change of roles) with the man staying at home and the woman going out to work.
• It is important that everyone has clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

Extra Examples

• Every member of staff must have a clear role.
• He assumed a conspicuous role at the new arts agency.
• He filled several governmental roles.
• He has been cast in the role of chief apologist for the government.
• He is looking for ways to strengthen his role in the business.
• He is trying to carve out a new role for himself.
• He may have to settle for a backup role.
• He really wants to fulfil his role as godfather properly.
• I accepted the executive editor role at the magazine.
• I feel I can fit any role this team needs me to.
• I've had to take on the role of mother in her absence.
• Many staff perform multiple roles.
• She embraced her role as ruler of the country.
• She has a dual role as principal and French teacher.
• She has joined the team in a consultative role.
• Supervising elections is a possible role for the UN.
• The caregiving role is still overwhelmingly a female one.
• The fighting has prevented the UN troops from fulfilling their role as peacekeepers.
• The new prime minister promised a greater role for women in government.
• Their brother plays a protective role.
• They have to be willing to accept their roles as caregivers and not managers.
• Traditional gender roles are reversed in their household.
• We are waiting to see if he can handle an expanded role.
• We need to find a useful role for the volunteers in the campaign.
• We will meet with them to determine individual roles.
• the views prevalent in society about female roles
• She refused to take on the traditional woman's role.
• the role of the teacher in the classroom
3. the degree to which somebody/something is involved in a situation or an activity and the effect that they have on it
• A cup of tea often serves an important social role.
• a key/leading/central/crucial/vital role
• The media play a major role in influencing people's opinions.
• Small businesses have a significant role to play in keeping the economy buoyant.
• UK scientists have taken a lead role in the project.
• the role of diet in the prevention of disease
• The company has cemented its role as a leader in the industry.
• Thomas downplays the role of these letters as historical evidence.

Extra Examples

• Economic factors played a decisive role in the outcome of the war.
• He addressed the role of tradition in design.
• Migrant workers played a central role in the state's prosperity.
• Politicians acknowledge the key roles that young people play in the country.
• Pressure groups played a major role in bringing about the reforms.
• The authors emphasized the role of the slave trade in the economic development of the New World.
• They decided to expand the role that new technologies play at the hospital.
• We need to better understand the role of cold regions in the global climate system.
• an area where national rivalries play a powerful role
• the economic role of small towns

Word Origin

• early 17th cent.: from obsolete French roule ‘roll’, referring originally to the roll of paper on which the actor's part was written.