playmaker

noun

play·​mak·​er ˈplā-ˌmā-kər 

: a player who leads the offense for a team (as in basketball or hockey)

playmaking

ˈplā-ˌmā-kiŋ 

noun or adjective

Examples of playmaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The usual case for opposing defenses is to pay extra attention to the receiver, opening up other playmakers for big gains and scores. —James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025

What they haven’t been blessed with in the past, and other top nations have – think Luka Modric’s match-winning display in the World Cup semi-final against England in 2022 – is a playmaker who can control the tempo and be the conduit at the heart of the team. —Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025

While Canales and Young are quick to feature the 6-foot-5, 212-pound playmaker, his production noticeably drops off a cliff later in matchups. —Charlotte Observer, 12 Nov. 2025

The window to stash Reed has opened with the dynamic playmaker possibly returning by the end of the month, and Green Bay offense looking listless the last two games against the Panthers and Eagles. —Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for playmaker

• blackacre
• caretaker
• clockmaker
• dressmaker
• filmmaker
• homemaker
• icebreaker
• lawmaker
• matchmaker
• pacemaker
• partaker
• peacemaker