screenplay

noun

screen·​play ˈskrēn-ˌplā 

: the script and often shooting directions of a story prepared for movie production

Synonyms of screenplay

• script

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

Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’ film won the Silver Bear for best screenplay at the Berlin Film Festival this year. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026

The film is directed by David Ayer, a purveyor of wild action flicks and ballads of masculinity; the screenplay is the debut effort of Cameron Alexander. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

His script first appeared in the 2023 Black List of unproduced screenplays. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026

In 2016 Erickson’s Severance pilot made an annual list of best unproduced genre screenplays by BloodList—where other successes such as Bird Box (2018) and Don’t Worry Darling (2022) got their start. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for screenplay

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• assez
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway

Kids Definition

screenplay

noun

screen·​play ˈskrēn-ˌplā 

: the written form of a story prepared for film production