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Glite Dictionary
to take on the role

to take on the role

10 3.1
Accept a job, responsibility, or part in a play
  • phrasal verb
  • /teɪk ɒn ðə roʊl/
translation icon : asumir el papel
  • During the first phase, the teacher takes on the role of facilitator.
  • take on the role of teacher
  • take on the role of facilitator
  • take on the role of learner

And how the woman often takes on the role of household manager and delegates tasks.

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Examples

  • The learner takes on the role of an intern at the business.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Sally Wilcock took on the role of health adviser for this project.

    Academic text (2010)

  • I think she could be taking on the role of Mama.

    Mama (2013)

  • Now I know I must return to our work in the hospital, and take on the role that was always meant for me.

    Restoration (1995)

  • In other words, the expert takes on the role of teacher.

    Academic text (2016)

  • In a house full of males, she takes on the role of the mother.

    Academic text (2012)

  • One cannot possibly transition from a traditional library into a learning commons without taking on the role of a school leader.

    Academic text (2014)

  • Subjects become active learners, while examiners take on the role of teachers of generalizable cognitive processes.

    Academic text (1990)

  • I just don't think Mitt Romney is quite ready to take on the role of POTUS.

    Blog text (9)

  • She decided to take on the role of project manager for the new initiative.

Synonyms

to take
vsto take on the role
∞ 1.0

Move into a position or seat

focuses on beginning a specific job or responsibility rather than any state
to take on
vsto take on the role
405 2.8

To agree to do a job or task

is about beginning a position or duty rather than agreeing only
to act as
vsto take on the role
199 2.6

Serve in the role of a person or thing

describes formally starting a position or holding responsibility long term
to adopt
vsto take on the role
135 3.2

To take on a new role, responsibility, or attitude

refers to starting a job or duty rather than a personal quality
to assume
vsto take on the role
93 3.7

Begin to take a role or duty

is a neutral phrase for starting a position or duty
to enter
vsto take on the role
  • Formal
31 2.5

To begin duties in an official position such as prime minister

is used for starting any position, formal or informal

Antonyms

to resign
  • Formal
533 3.7

Leave a job or office by giving notice

How Responsible

head
∞ 2.2
to take on the role
10 3.1
to fill in
100 3.3
to assist
605 1.0

Surface Forms

take on the role infinitive
taking on the role present participle
takes on the role third person singular
took on the role past
taken on the role past participle

Morphology

take + on + the + role

The meaning 'to assume a position or responsibility' is directly derivable from combining 'take' (to assume) with the particle 'on' (indicating acceptance or undertaking) plus 'role' (a position or set of duties). This is a productive, compositional phrasal-verb + noun pattern found cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The phrase take on the role comes from acting. Imagine an actor stepping onto the stage and putting on a costume to become a character, so they take on the role, and that's why today it means 'to accept a job or task'.