supporting role

collocation in English

meaningsofsupportingandrole

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withrole.
supporting
adjective
uk
/səˈpɔː.tɪŋ/us
/səˈpɔːr.t̬ɪŋ/
not the most important actor or part in a film ...
See more atsupporting
role
noun[C]
uk
/rəʊl/us
/roʊl/
the position or purpose that someone or something has in a situation, organization, society, ...
See more atrole

(Definition ofsupportingandrolefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofsupporting role

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
However, in the erect stance the legs have asupportingrolethat the arms have not.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The question, then, is whether we must give in to a logocentric hegemony in which music is traditionally judged in asupportingroleto concepts.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Contrast may play asupportingroleadding emphasis or nuance.
From theCambridge English Corpus
But, the international community is still needed to play asupportingroleas the ultimate guarantor of universal human rights and humanitarian standards.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Other social and economic characteristics played asupportingrolein explaining these differences.
From theCambridge English Corpus
This included performers, instructors, directors, composers and those whosesupportingroleis integral to the performance itself.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It provided opportunities to develop a reputation for leadership for only a few students, relegating the remainder of the cadets to asupportingroleat best.
From theCambridge English Corpus
A crucial difference between science and religion is that factual knowledge as such is not a principal aim of religious devotion, but plays only asupportingrole.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Stéphane's instrument initially plays a subordinate,supportingrole, but soon becomes entwined with the violin and cello.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The period also saw the emergence of rock bands and dance groups that were no longer content with playing merely asupportingroleto the pop vocalists.
From theCambridge English Corpus
General conformity to a set of plans, therefore, plays only a small,supportingrolein the explanation of official action.
From theCambridge English Corpus
With some notable exceptions, the generative grammatical tradition hasn't been particularly kind to focus : it is often ignored or, if mentioned at all, given asupportingroleof some kind.
From theCambridge English Corpus
I am delighted that the federation is so active in a practical andsupportingrole.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The rich countries have an indispensablesupportingroleto play in providing capital research and technology and access to their markets.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The police play a crucialsupportingrole, including providing advice on how to set up schemes and assisting with administration and publicity.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The vast bulk of the finance is coming from the private sector; the public agencies are very much in a minoritysupportingrole.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These programmes reduce the purpose of education itself to asupportingrole, or to being a means to some other end.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
The voluntary sector plays asupportingrolein emergency planning and response.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I believe that they can, and should, have more than merely asupportingroleto play.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Clauses 129 and 130 also recognise that properly trained classroom assistants have a majorsupportingrole.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofsupporting
Go to the definition ofrole
See other collocations withrole