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roleplay

Other forms: roleplaying

When you roleplay, you act out the part of a character or person. You might want to roleplay an interview as part of your job search preparation.

You can say that you roleplay when you perform the part of Macbeth on a stage, although that's more commonly described simply as acting. The verb roleplay is most common when someone is undergoing therapy or participating in some sort of training. Counselors at a camp might roleplay different problems they may encounter over the summer, for example, taking turns playing the parts of campers and counselors before the campers arrive.

Definitions of roleplay
  1. verb
    perform on a stage or theater
    synonyms: act, play, playact
    play
    perform on a certain location
    play
    be performed or presented for public viewing
    act, play, represent
    play a role or part
    act
    be suitable for theatrical performance
    see moresee less
    types:
    stooge
    act as the stooge
    mime, pantomime
    act out without words but with gestures and bodily movements only
    ham, ham it up, hoke, overact, overplay
    exaggerate one's acting
    underact, underplay
    act (a role) with great restraint
    type of:
    perform
    give a performance (of something)
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘roleplay'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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