Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

ghostwrite

play
verb ghost·write \ ˈgōs(t)-ˌrīt \

Definition of ghostwrite

ghostwrote play \ˈgōs(t)-ˌrōt\; ghostwritten play \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

See ghostwrite defined for English-language learners

See ghostwrite defined for kids

Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066
alt-59bab5dbb4997
Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery
image2143067130
9 Slang Words With Academic Origins
alt-59c17b8172892
'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

Examples of ghostwrite in a Sentence

  1. She was hired to ghostwrite the mayor's autobiography.

Recent Examples of ghostwrite from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ghostwrite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ghostwrite

back-formation from ghostwriter

GHOSTWRITE Defined for English Language Learners

ghostwrite

play
verb

Definition of ghostwrite for English Language Learners

  • : to write (something, such as a book) for someone else using that person's name

Learn More about ghostwrite

  1. See words that rhyme with ghostwrite

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up ghostwrite? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

holus-bolus

play

all at once

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. bodega "Don’t mess with the beloved bodega."

  2. carceral Of, relating to, or suggesting a jail or prison

  3. allegory No spoilers!

  4. hurricane 'A tropical cyclone'

  5. rescind To take away; cancel; repeal

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

ghostwrite

Test Your Vocabulary

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

  • stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy
  • Which is a synonym of fuliginous?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Citation

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-59c17b8172892
'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

Its origins are surprisingly murky.

alt-59c13729150dc
"Immune to" or "Immune from"?

Nobody is immune to this question.

alt-59bff395cf879
What's Going On With 'Nonplussed'?

Its recent usage is hard to shrug off.

alt-59bad350d88f1
Welcome to the New Words

From 'hive mind' to 'sriracha'

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy
Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

Take the quiz
name-that-color-logo
Name that Color!

NEW! Additional colors! More obscure than before!

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
Citation
Citation

Do you know the person or title these quotes describe?

Play the game
Examples: ghostwrite in a Sentence