Synonyms

playmaker

American

[pley-mey-ker] / ˈpleɪˌmeɪ kər /

noun

Sports.

an offensive player, as in basketball or ice hockey, who executes plays designed to put one or more teammates in a position to score.
Archaic. a playwright; dramatist.

playmaker British

/ ˈpleɪˌmeɪkə /

noun

sport a player whose role is to create scoring opportunities for his or her team-mates

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

playmaking noun

Etymology

Origin of playmaker

First recorded in 1520–30; play + maker

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.

Back in February, the Cavs zeroed in on a genius playmaker who had been an All-Star 11 times, the NBA’s leading scorer on three occasions, and the MVP.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

The Portugal playmaker remains a class act and will not be short of offers.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

LeBron James is taking back the reins as the Lakers’ No. 1 playmaker and steering the team into the playoffs.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

The Bruins could still use some more size and another playmaker before having next year’s roster locked in.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

And presently the strong joy of creating kindled in him, and phrase flowed abreast with thought, and the playmaker wrote fluently and surely to an accompaniment of contented ejaculations.

From The Certain Hour by Cabell, James Branch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023