an overarching role

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an overarching role" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to a role that encompasses many different aspects or functions. For example, "In her new job, Sam has taken on an overarching role at the company, overseeing everything from budgeting to marketing to customer relations."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Not easy, then, for the new chair, Prof Alexis Jay, who is expected to address some of these issues when she gives evidence to the home affairs select committee next week; sources suggest she is likely to accept she cannot oversee all 13 elements of the inquiry, instead appointing heads for each one and retaining an overarching role.

The Guardian

Such innate immune memory then sustains a pro-inflammatory state, a trade-off between health span and lifespan suggesting an overarching role of insulin signaling pathways in regulating inflammation [15].

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

Similarly, an overarching role of the facilitator, we argue, is to draw connections to these big ideas so that teachers take away not only isolated instances of teaching and learning but also a larger framework of big ideas with several specific instantiations of what each component looks like in practice.

International Journal of STEM Education

Despite their diverse functions, most gods had an overarching role in common: maintaining maat, the universal order that was a central principle of Egyptian religion and was itself personified as a goddess.

Wikipedia

At the other end of the spectrum, it can sometimes be useful to prepare maps showing variation across a number of countries, if the intended audience has an overarching role across the whole region.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Needless to say, there will always be an indispensable, overarching role for the jury in the American courtroom.

Huffington Post

Washington does have a substantial overarching role, but it entails protecting government's own insecure networks and setting reasonable internal government software and security product standards.

Forbes

This is an overarching function.

BMC International Health and Human Rights

The work they made felt incredibly raw and honest, and left a lot of thoughts churning in my head: the differences between the work that can be done as an outsider versus as an insider; the overarching role that exposure, and access to education, play in bringing recognition to a photographer.

The New Yorker

The clean lines and cool effects of this style variously called the "New Objectivity," the "new vision," or "Precisionism"—was a reflection, perhaps, of the overarching role of industry and technology during the 1920s.

Britannica

The government should also be clear about its overarching role in delivering a stable economy, he added.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an overarching role" to clearly define responsibilities that have broad influence or impact across different areas within an organization or system. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures comprehensive oversight.

Common error

Avoid using "an overarching role" when describing tasks that are specific and limited in scope. Overusing the phrase can dilute its meaning and make roles seem more important than they are.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an overarching role" functions as a noun phrase, where "overarching" is an adjective modifying the noun "role". It describes a role that is comprehensive, dominant, or has wide-ranging influence. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an overarching role" is a grammatically sound phrase used to denote a comprehensive and influential position. While relatively rare in occurrence, as shown by Ludwig, its application spans across science, news media, and formal business contexts. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct. When using the phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the broad scope of the described role and avoid inflating the importance of tasks with limited impact. Consider alternatives like "central function" or "key responsibility" for nuanced contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an all-encompassing function

Replaces 'role' with 'function' and emphasizes completeness.

a central function

Focuses on the importance of the role rather than its breadth.

a core function

Stresses that the role is essential and fundamental.

a key responsibility

Emphasizes the accountability associated with the role.

a fundamental responsibility

Focuses on the basic and foundational aspect of the role.

a primary duty

Highlights the obligatory aspect of the role.

a leading position

Highlights the aspect of influence and direction within the role.

a principal activity

Emphasizes that the role involves significant and main actions.

a dominant task

Highlights the controlling influence and prevalence of the task within the role.

a major undertaking

Shifts the focus to the scale and effort involved in the role.

FAQs

How can I use "an overarching role" in a sentence?

Use "an overarching role" to describe a position that has broad authority or responsibility. For instance, "The project manager had "an overarching role" in coordinating all aspects of the project."

What's a good alternative to "an overarching role"?

Depending on the context, alternatives could include "a central function", "a key responsibility", or "a primary duty".

When is it appropriate to use "an overarching role"?

It's appropriate when the role truly encompasses many different functions and has significant impact across various activities or departments. It should not be used for minor or isolated tasks.

How does "an overarching role" differ from a regular role?

An overarching role implies a higher level of authority and broader scope compared to a regular role. It suggests influence and responsibility that extends across multiple areas or functions.