screenplay

noun

screen·​play ˈskrēn-ˌplā How to pronounce screenplay (audio)
Synonyms of screenplaynext
: the script and often shooting directions of a story prepared for movie production

Synonyms of screenplay

Examples of screenplay in a Sentence

an award for best screenplay each actor will be given a copy of the screenplay to study
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Backrooms, in theaters May 29, isn’t your average Hollywood screenplay. Olivia Tauber, Vanity Fair, 25 May 2026 An inheritance draws Lena into a world of luxury unsettled by a disappearance in this advanced-development feature, backed by Mallorca’s Espaitemps and supported by an ICAA screenplay development grant. Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 25 May 2026 Kurosawa, who adapted the screenplay himself, transforms Murashige’s long last stand into four interconnected mysteries each spanning a single season. Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2026 After a bidding war for the film rights, Gwyneth Paltrow is reportedly set to star in and executive-produce an adaptation for Netflix, with a screenplay by the acclaimed playwright Heidi Schreck. Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for screenplay

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of screenplay was in 1920

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Cite this Entry

“Screenplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screenplay. Accessed 26 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

screenplay

noun
screen·​play ˈskrēn-ˌplā How to pronounce screenplay (audio)
: the written form of a story prepared for film production

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