variants
or less commonly roleplay
role-played also roleplayed; role-playing also roleplaying; role-plays also roleplays
1
: to act out the role of
2
: to represent in action
students were asked to role-play the thoughts and feelings of each character—
R. G. Lambert
R. G. Lambert
: to play a role
role-play
noun
or less commonly roleplay
plural role-plays also roleplays
I practice this with student social workers through case studies and role-play.
—Kevin Brazant, quoted in psychologytoday.com
Kevin Brazant, quoted in psychologytoday.com
Examples of role-play in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So Far Yet, despite being the ideal role-playing game — one that should (theoretically) be easy enough to replicate — there’s never been a true sequel, spiritual successor, or flat-out copy that can live up to the standard.
—Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2025
Staffers and volunteers role-play as cowboys and camp cooks.
—Jim Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2025
There are poems, college essays, and excerpts from role-play sessions with AI chatbots.
—Claire Bryan and Sharon Lurye, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2025
That’s apt, since the drama tells the story of young corporate heir, Ban Ju-yeon, who assumes the identity of Black Dragon in a role-playing game.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for role-play
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Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2025
Staffers and volunteers role-play as cowboys and camp cooks.
—Jim Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2025
There are poems, college essays, and excerpts from role-play sessions with AI chatbots.
—Claire Bryan and Sharon Lurye, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2025
That’s apt, since the drama tells the story of young corporate heir, Ban Ju-yeon, who assumes the identity of Black Dragon in a role-playing game.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for role-play
Cite this Entry
“Role-play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/role-play. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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