ghostwrite

verb

ghost·​write ˈgōs(t)-ˌrīt 

ghostwrote ˈgōs(t)-ˌrōt  ; ghostwritten ˈgōs(t)-ˌri-tᵊn 

intransitive verb

: to write for and in the name of another

transitive verb

: to write (a speech, a book, etc.) for another who is the presumed or credited author

ghostwriter noun

Examples of ghostwrite in a Sentence

She was hired to ghostwrite the mayor's autobiography.

Recent Examples on the Web

Dervan ended up ghostwriting McCarthy’s memoirs from that tournament. — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 27 June 2026

Ruben’s modern twist on Northanger focused on a young American literature teacher named Catherine Winslet, who relocates to Bath to ghostwrite the memoirs of her eccentric idol, Mrs Daftwood. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 22 June 2026

As the investigation continued, Kouri Richins hired a ghostwriting company to pen a children's book about grief and went on television to promote it, the lead detective in the case testified. — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 May 2026

One character’s escape is ghostwriting love letters and pornographic stories to entertain his classmates. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from ghostwriter

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for ghostwrite

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

ghostwrite

verb

ghost·​write ˈgō-ˌstrīt 

ghostwrote -ˌstrōt  ; ghostwritten -ˌstrit-ᵊn  ; ghostwriting

-ˌstrīt-iŋ

: to write for and in the name of another

ghostwriter noun