role model
213
2.8
- noun
- /roʊl ˈmɒdəl/
- The direction in which a career moves is strongly influenced by role models within the academic department.
- serve as a role model
- a positive role model
- a career role model
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Watch on YouTubeParents, you are role models for your children.
- Parents, you are role models for your children.
- So as a bad role model, I'm showing them the wrong way.
- And yet I was in a world where those role models seem to be quite scarce.
- Patriarchs and gods are not the role models for Greek children.
- Be be the, the, the role model that I wish I'd had.
- And so we looked at Walgreens as a role model of Walmart.
- And again, the father died and there was no male role model at all there.
Examples
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He was a role model for a lot of young men.
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- My mom has been my role model since before I knew what that was.
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Trump is a good role model for our children.
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You and I are the role models America needs.
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And again, the father died and there was no male role model at all there.
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Her job is to just come in, be a role model, be supportive.
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The most influential role models for elementary school children are often their own parents.
Academic text (2008) -
And she was a wonderful reformer and a fantastic role model for women.
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You are teachers, mentors, role models, and friends to college students.
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My father was a role model who taught me the importance of hard work.
Synonyms
569
3.4
A person or thing that others copy because they are a good example
515
1.0
A person or thing to copy because they do something good
111
1.4
A person or thing that others should copy
59
3.3
A person or thing seen as a perfect example of something
16
7.2
A person or thing that shows very good behavior for others to copy
1
6.7
A person or thing that others copy because it shows new successful ideas
How Inspiring
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a person whose behavior is emulated' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'role' (a function or position) with 'model' (an example to imitate); together they denote someone who serves as an example in a role. This compositional pattern is common across languages and follows straightforward noun-noun compounding, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will very likely infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Role model comes from the idea of an actor who shows a clear role that others can copy, so the actor becomes a model to follow. That's why calling someone a role model means they are a person people look to 'copy' or 'be like'.