playwright

noun

play·​wright ˈplā-ˌrīt How to pronounce playwright (audio)
Synonyms of playwright
: a person who writes plays

Examples of playwright in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That’s a playwright’s wrestling match that, as my colleague Sara Holdren noted recently, doesn’t need an audience. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026 Sheldon is a playwright, screenwriter, and actress known for co-creating The Girlfriend, a limited series based on the thriller novel by Michelle Frances, for Amazon and Imaginarium. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026 That question is from Michael Head, a facilitator and playwright, and I was so struck by it. — Margaret Wappler, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Josie Long, whose credits include Skins, and playwright and screenwriter Holly Phillips, whose credits include The Athena, Get Even and Dance Academy, are adapting the books for television. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for playwright

Word History

Etymology

play entry 2 + obsolete wright maker — more at wright

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of playwright was in 1605

Rhymes for playwright

See All Rhymes for playwright

Browse Nearby Words

play with words/language
playwright
playwriting
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Playwright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playwright. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

playwright

noun
play·​wright ˈplā-ˌrīt How to pronounce playwright (audio)
: a person who writes plays

More from Merriam-Webster on playwright

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for playwright

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about playwright

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