ghostwriter
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of ghostwriter
An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900
Explanation
Someone whose job involves drafting books, songs, or speeches that are credited to someone else is a ghostwriter. A movie star might pay a ghostwriter to pen her memoir, for example. If you don't want the bother of actually writing a book, but you like the idea of your name on its cover, you may want to hire a ghostwriter. Sometimes a ghostwriter gets credit for being a "researcher," but usually their name doesn't appear anywhere on the book, screenplay, or magazine article. Politicians sometimes employ ghostwriters to work on speeches, and celebrities routinely use ghostwriters to write "autobiographies."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jen Singer is a ghostwriter and editor who has survived cancer, a complete heart block, and heart failure.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
Former US President Joe Biden has sued the federal government to block the release of interviews with his memoir's ghostwriter, which he has described as "private information" but could contain embarrassing details about his memory.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
The author is a ghostwriter, writing coach and former Times contributor.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
He has also worked as a translator of corporate reports and cookbooks and as a ghostwriter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026
“That was awesome TV. I heard she’s gonna hire a ghostwriter to write a book about that episode.”
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
