Roll vs. Role – What’s the Gist?
Because they sound alike, these two homophones are sometimes confused. Not only do they have different spellings, but also roll and role have entirely separate meanings.
- Roll is both a noun and a verb.
- Role is a noun.
One noun you can eat; the other one you cannot.
How to Use Roll in a Sentence
Roll definition: As a noun, the word roll is surprisingly versatile. In addition to meaning a formal record, it also denotes a catalogue of items, a muster listing, a wad of money, and a small piece of baked, yeasted dough.
For example:
- On the first day of school, the professor called roll. (Noun)
- Before going to the bank, the waitress grabbed the roll of tip money to deposit. (Noun)
- The favorite item at the Thanksgiving dinner was Grandma’s buttery rolls. (Noun)
Roll, as a transitive verb, is just as versatile. It expresses action as to impel forward by causing something to turn over and over, or to turn on an axis, or to have a continuous motion, or to spread out in an undulating contour.
Furthermore, roll can refer to sound as either a noun or a verb. When it is a noun, it can mean a heavy rumbling sound. Interestingly, the same reverberating sound can act as a verb, meaning the noun makes the sound.
For example:
- Before the lightning flashed, the roll of thunder alerted the swimmers to the coming storm. (Noun)
- The deep beat of the drum rolled across the river. (Past Tense Verb)
Roll is so versatile that it acts as both a transitive verb, which passes action either to the subject or a direct object. Or as an intransitive verb that simply expresses action.
For example:
- The smoker rolled his own cigarettes.
- The children rolled down the hill.
As you can see, the usage for roll is quite a roll call in itself.
How to Use Role in a Sentence
Role definition: On the other hand, the word role is not as adaptable. It is a noun that means an assumed or assigned character or a function, a socially expected behavior determined by status, or a part that is played by an actor or singer.
For example:
- He assumed the role of the class clown. (Noun)
- The family expected her to play the role of the cook during holidays. (Noun)
- After many years of trying, the ingénue finally broke into her starring role. (Noun)
Outside Examples of Roll vs. Role
- Buttigieg was referring to her record in 2017-2018, which earned her an “F” rating from a left-leaning group, Demand Justice. The group said she voted for Trump’s district court nominees 70 percent of the time when there were roll-call votes and supported nine of Trump’s 31 circuit court nominees. –The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Some in Washington have suggested that Americans could receive dividend checks from collected carbon taxes — an idea that’s wishful thinking at best. Just as far-fetched is the idea that establishing a carbon tax would roll back regulations. Any new carbon tax would add red tape, not reduce it. –USA Today
- When Snyder took the role as president in 2007, Plain Dealer reports described the university as “renowned but troubled.” The previous president launched an expensive plan to boost CWRU’s reputation that earned him a “no confidence” vote by the arts and sciences faculty. –The Plain Dealer
- Porgy is the difference. Bass Morris Robinson opens the opera March 7 in the title role, singing three performances, and Musa Ngqungwana performs the role for the final two shows. Double casting an opera is common for longer runs where singers might need some relief after performing night after night. –The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Phrases That Use Roll and Role
There are some idioms that use the word roll or role, including:
Roll out the red carpet: Formally welcoming a very important person.
- The local government officials plan to roll out the red carpet for the visiting dignitary.
Roll over and play dead: Figuratively speaking, to acquiesce or concede without protesting.
- She refused to roll over and play dead when asked to step down from leadership.
Roll call: Calling out a list of names to identify attendance, incorrectly spelled on occasion role call.
- The teacher started class each morning with roll call.
Role model: A person who others look to emulate based on positive characteristics or attitude.
- The football player was a role model for giving back to the community.
Play a role: One who wants to contribute to or participate in something.
- The retiree asked to play a role in the senior citizens community group.
How to Remember These Words
A mnemonic device to help you distinct these two different words is to look at the double letters in roll. Since there are two l’s, it suggests the idea of rolling over twice, or that one is likely to return for seconds to get Grandma’s buttery rolls.
With the word role, the single letter l reflects the idea of someone holding one role or an actor performing in one role.
For example:
- The dog rolled over twice for a tasty treat.
- The actor found the role of a lifetime.
Article Summary
Is Roll or role correct? It really comes down to which noun you need. If you are referring to a catalogue of names or something delicious for dinner, choose roll. However, if you have an assigned part or some function, select the word role.
- Roll is a both a noun and a verb.
- Role is a noun.