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

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The color is red velvet; the sound brims with sickly pulses and crocodile-teeth percussion; the playwright is a cross between Charlie Kaufman and Muse. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026 Head south of the border for a chilling crime documentary about José Luis Calva Zepeda, a poet and playwright in Mexico City who used his way with words to woo women. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 Many were fans of Churchill, 88, who is widely considered one of the greatest living playwrights. — Mariah Kreutter, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026 But especially as Other Desert Cities progresses, there’s something queasy about how maimed her life has been, not by her parents but by her playwright. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 19 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 1 Nov. 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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