showrunner

noun

show·​run·​ner ˈshō-ˌrə-nər How to pronounce showrunner (audio)
variants or less commonly show-runner or show runner
plural showrunners also show-runners or show runners
: a person who oversees the writing and production of each episode of a television series and has ultimate managerial and creative control over the series
A showrunner is more than just a producer. He or she is the creator or co-creator of a show and is a writer as well. These people are the guiding lights for a production. They are making decisions about casting, story arcs, as well as the day-to-day issues of getting a show done and ready for air.G. Michael Dobbs

Examples of showrunner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Mehta garnered a Gotham TV Award nomination for his work as writer, exec producer and showrunner of Hulu’s acclaimed crime drama Under the Bridge, starring Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 June 2025 Bob-Waksberg wrote the series and served as showrunner, executive producing alongside Noel Bright and Steven A. Cohen for Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company, which produced BoJack. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025 King, who co-created the original comic series, will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Jamie Lang, Variety, 12 June 2025 Additionally, series co-creator David S. Goyer stepped back from his duties as showrunner during the hiatus, with executive producer Bill Bost overseeing production instead; Goyer remained creatively involved, though, exec-producing Season 3 and contributing scripts. Rebecca Luther, TVLine, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for showrunner

Word History

First Known Use

1989, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of showrunner was in 1989

Cite this Entry

“Showrunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showrunner. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

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