playwright

American  

[pley-rahyt] / ˈpleɪˌraɪt /

noun

playwrights plural

1. a writer of plays; dramatist.

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playwright British  

/ ˈpleɪˌraɪt /

noun

1. a person who writes plays

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• playwrights
  plural

Etymology

Origin of playwright

First recorded in 1680–90; play + wright

Explanation

A playwright is someone who writes plays. Playwrights are also known as dramatists. Just as a poet writes poems, a playwright writes plays. If the spelling of playwright looks odd, that's because wright is a word for a craftsperson or someone who builds things (like a shipwright builds ships). Given the juggling of characters, scenes, and plots in a play, you can see how writing a play is like building something. The most famous playwright ever in English is William Shakespeare.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

playwright playwrights

The darker strains in his comedies have been drawn out by directors eager to show there’s more to the playwright than his drawing room panache.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

In 2028, the company will present “Good Bones,” a collaboration between two Pulitzer Prize winners: Composer Michael Abels, known for his scores for Jordan Peele films, and playwright James Ijames, author of “Fat Ham.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

But it was helpful to see Knud Adams’ nimble production after it transferred to MCC Theater — an ideal introduction to a startlingly original playwright at the dawn of a path-breaking career.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Tony Harrison was a poet and playwright born in Leeds in 1937 who was famed for his controversial work.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026

Still, he hadn’t earned enough money as a playwright to support his family.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Soon after, wannabe authoritarians attack the comedians, essayists, playwrights and poets.

From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2026

ATG Entertainment said renaming the venue the Tom Stoppard Theatre would be a "lasting tribute... to one of the most influential playwrights in British theatre".

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

The goal of playwrights grappling seriously with what it means to be an American today isn’t to score social media points but to shed light on the fractured reality of our collective experience.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

Lucy Kirkwood, Penelope Skinner, Timberlake Wertenbaker and Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti are also among more than 70 UK-based playwrights taking part.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

The performers spent their afternoon with young people who’d come from local high schools—budding playwrights, dancers, and rappers kicking around the White House, writing lyrics and dropping beats with their heroes.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama