Pronunciation

How to pronounce “role

“role” is pronounced /ɹoʊl/ (ROHL) in American English and /ɹəʊl/ in British English — one syllable.
The sound

Say “role” in one beat

Say it like this

role

/ɹoʊl/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /ɹəʊl/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

1 beat
  1. roleɹoʊl
IPA (American)
/ɹoʊl/
IPA (British)
/ɹəʊl/
Respelling
ROHL
Syllables
1 — role
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /ɹoʊl/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/ɹoʊl/

British

/ɹəʊl/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “role” means

  1. noun

    the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group

    the function of a teacher

  2. noun

    an actor's portrayal of someone in a play

    she played the part of Desdemona

  3. noun

    what something is used for

    the function of an auger is to bore holes

Say it in a sentence

Her role in the play is small but memorable.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

3 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

role”, answered

How do you pronounce “role”?

“role” is pronounced /ɹoʊl/ (ROHL) in American English and /ɹəʊl/ in British English — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /ɹoʊl/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “role” have?

One, despite the 2 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /ɹoʊl/ — a single beat.

Is “role” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ɹoʊl/ (ROHL); British English says /ɹəʊl/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “role” mean?

As a noun: the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group For example: “the function of a teacher” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “role”?

One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /ɹoʊl/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.

Practise this word

Now say “role” and see every sound

Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.