play a part
Have a role
To play a part is to contribute to an outcome or situation: Luck played a part in our success.
The phrase comes from theatrical performance—an actor plays a part in a production.
This extends to everyday pretense: if you're playing a part, you're acting rather than being genuine.
Also *play a role*.
- contributeGive to a collective
- appearBecome perceptible to sight
- actorOne who portrays characters
- rolePosition or part
- supporting roleMinor character in production
walk-on role · involvement · imitate · complicit · influence · effect · feature · significance · character · figure · perform · engagement · pretend · cast · portray · ensemble · ensemble cast · theater
- theaterplays, stage, onstage, acting, auditorium
- pretendingpretend, pretending, fake, feign, make-believe
play a partsit out
Refrain from participating
stand aside · spectate · abstain · opt out · keep out
play a partbe oneself
Act without pretense
be authentic · show one's true colors · be honest · unmask · come clean
play, part, player, playing, played, players, participant, participate, playwright