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Glite Dictionary
to play the role of

to play the role of

36 3.0
To act as a character in a play or as someone in a real situation
  • phrasal verb
  • /pleɪ ðə roʊl ʌv/
translation icon : interpretar el papel de
  • In the school play, Sarah will play the role of Juliet.
  • play the role of a parent
  • play the role of an actor
  • play the role of a teacher

And we had to play the role of being blind often.

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Examples

  • During a shared story experience, the teacher plays the role of facilitator.

    Academic text (2013)

  • Obviously Sean Connery is playing the role of James Bond.

    High Hopes (2006)

  • Do you think she wants to play the role of a wife now?

    Fiction book (1996)

  • production and I am playing the role of lead ghost number one.

  • The same occurs in the second, but now his opponent is playing the role of a knight.

  • We have a kid actor who is from Atlanta actually, who is playing the role of the kid in our ad for us.

  • He will play the role of Arthur Swail.

    Made in Romania (2010)

  • Pysson stated, "I believe that it makes sense for librarians to play the role of technology mentors in schools."

    Academic text (2013)

  • I hear an actor who's playing the role of Pluto, God of the underworld.

  • Capita employs actors to play the role of the claimant so that assessors can do mock assessments.

    Academic text (2015)

Synonyms

to play
vsto play the role of
∞ 1.0

Act as a character in a stage show, film, or TV show

is broader, applying to any part or function in various performances
to act
vsto play the role of
375 2.1

Perform a role in a play, film, or show

also applies when someone assumes a functional position not only dramatic parts
to be
vsto play the role of
225 1.0

Act as a character in a play or film

emphasizes performing or assuming a part rather than simple representation
to act as
vsto play the role of
199 2.6

Serve in the role of a person or thing

usually means performing or assuming a part in performance settings
to represent
vsto play the role of
193 3.9

Act as a character in a play or film

also covers assuming a function or nonacting capacity
to portray
vsto play the role of
118 3.7

To play a character in a film or play

is the neutral phrase for actually doing the part on stage or screen
to play a part
vsto play the role of
42 2.5

To act in a show or help make something happen

can also mean serving a nonperforming contribution or practical function
to enact
vsto play the role of
27 4.8

To act out a scene in front of people, like in a play

is the common phrase for taking on a part in real performances
to act out
vsto play the role of
24 3.7

To perform a scene or feeling like a short play

usually refers to formal performance or functional serving rather than simulation
to take on the role
vsto play the role of
10 3.1

Accept a job, responsibility, or part in a play

is narrower, focusing on performing a character or function in shows
to role-play
vsto play the role of
7 3.8

To pretend to be someone else to practice acting and speaking in a situation

covers broader performance uses beyond training or games
to play as
vsto play the role of
  • Jargon
7 3.4

To take the role of a character in a video game

applies more widely to stage screen and other live performances
to playact
vsto play the role of
2 6.7

To pretend to be a person in a story on stage or with friends

is used more broadly for ordinary performance, not only theatrical exaggeration
to play-act
vsto play the role of
2 6.1

To act out a scene to practice or show how something happens

focuses on genuine performance or assumed functions rather than pretending
to roleplay
vsto play the role of
2 4.7

Act as a character in a play or drama

is used for any performance including formal productions not only practice

How Fully

to embody
104 5.1
to portray
118 3.7
to play the role of
36 3.0
to act as
199 2.6

Surface Forms

play the role of infinitive
played the role of past
played the role of past participle
playing the role of present participle
plays the role of third person singular

Morphology

play + the + role + of

The meaning is directly compositional: 'play' (to portray) combined with 'role' (the part an actor plays) and the linking preposition 'of' straightforwardly yields 'to perform the part of'. This pattern is cross-linguistically common (e.g., Spanish 'interpretar/el papel de', French 'jouer le rôle de'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The phrase play the role of comes from the theater, where an actor plays a role or 'part' on stage, wearing a costume and saying lines. So when someone 'plays the role of' a leader or helper today, it means they act as or take on that part.