choreograph

American  

[kawr-ee-uh-graf, -grahf, kohr-] / ˈkɔr i əˌgræf, -ˌgrɑf, ˈkoʊr- /

verb (used with object)

1. to provide the choreography for.

   to choreograph a musical comedy.

2. to manage, maneuver, or direct.

   The author is a genius at choreographing a large cast of characters.

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verb (used without object)

1. to work as a choreographer.

choreograph British  

/ ˈkɒrɪəˌɡræf /

verb

1. (tr) to compose the steps and dances for (a piece of music or ballet)

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Other Word Forms

• rechoreograph verb (used with object)
• unchoreographed adjective

Etymology

Origin of choreograph

First recorded in 1875–80; back formation from choreography

Example Sentences

But for Beijing, which likes to carefully choreograph such events to avoid any possibility of embarrassment, Trump's free-wheeling style is proving a challenge.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

He played a part in the government’s bailout of AIG, a major insurer, and helped choreograph JPMorgan’s acquisition of Bear Stearns, an investment bank brought to its knees by the crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Not the menu, necessarily, but the way they choreograph comfort.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2025

Chelsea admires Seventeen for being a self-producing group, which means they write their own songs and choreograph them too, but she’s worried about AI having an impact on that reputation.

From BBC • Jul. 16, 2024

Unfortunately, this theory would also retroactively outlaw choreograph, diagnose, resurrect, edit, sculpt, sleepwalk, and hundreds of other verbs that have become completely unexceptionable.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker