Jobs vs Role
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Jobs
Top 1,000 (very common)
Role
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
| Jobs | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //dʒɒbz//🇺🇸 //dʒɑbz// | 🇬🇧 /["/rəʊl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rəʊl/"]/ |
| Meaning | Positions or roles people do to earn money. | A part someone plays in a situation or story. |
| Example | He found several jobs that matched his skills. | He took on the role of team leader during the project. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | full-time jobs, part-time jobs, job market, job seeker, job openings | lead, leading, starring, assume, perform, play, in the role (of), big, huge, large, have, occupy, perform, model, reversal, expectation, in a/the role, role as, role at, big, huge, large, have, occupy, perform, model, reversal, expectation, in a/the role, role as, role at |
| Antonyms | unemployment, leisure | unimportance, insignificance |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'job's' which is possessive., Used as a verb incorrectly., Mispronounced as 'jabs'. | Confusing 'role' with 'roll', the latter meaning to turn over or to have a cylindrical shape., Using 'role' without a specific context, e.g., 'What is your role?' is better than just 'What is role?', Omitting 'in' when discussing roles in activities, e.g., 'His role in the project.' |
| Usage notes | Used in both formal and informal settings. Avoid in very casual contexts where slang terms for work may be preferred. | Use 'role' when discussing duties in work or positions in stories. Be cautious not to confuse with 'roll' which is a different word. Appropriate in both formal and informal settings. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Jobs vs Role
What's the difference between Jobs and Role?
Jobs: Positions or roles people do to earn money. Role: A part someone plays in a situation or story.
Can you show an example of each?
Jobs: He found several jobs that matched his skills. Role: He took on the role of team leader during the project.
Can I use Jobs and Role interchangeably?
Not always. Jobs and Role are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.