as in writers
a person who writes plays
The actor perfectly captured the unique cadences employed by the playwright.
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Recent Examples of playwrights
If a dozen new works over four days isn’t enough, try cramming 50 plays by 50 playwrights into a single day.
—
Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Funds raised from Miscast26 support MCC Theater’s Off-Broadway productions, its Youth Company and education programs for New York City high school students, as well as the organization’s literary development work with emerging playwrights.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Credibility gets strained pretty quickly as the playwrights contrive to get the characters to face each other in person.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
The Colonial Players host auditions for seven, 10-minute plays by seven local playwrights and different directors.
—Staff Report, Baltimore Sun, 15 Apr. 2026
South Coast Repertory’s 2026-27 season will boast works by William Shakespeare, Stephen Sondheim and Oscar Wilde while also presenting the voices of new generations of playwrights, the Costa Mesa theater announced today, April 15.
—Jeffrey Miller, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
Both the original production and a new one, now running at the Cherry Lane Theatre, were directed by Anne Kauffman, known for her work with such playwrights as Amy Herzog and Jordan Harrison.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Lumet — himself a serious theater creature who shared an ethical bent with the twentieth century’s great American playwrights — specialized in movies about little guys’ going up against the system.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
How the Script Walks a Tonal Tightrope Radcliffe credited playwrights Macmillan and Donahoe with building a structure that lets the performer pivot rapidly between the heavy and the silly.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Funds raised from Miscast26 support MCC Theater’s Off-Broadway productions, its Youth Company and education programs for New York City high school students, as well as the organization’s literary development work with emerging playwrights.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Credibility gets strained pretty quickly as the playwrights contrive to get the characters to face each other in person.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
The Colonial Players host auditions for seven, 10-minute plays by seven local playwrights and different directors.
—Staff Report, Baltimore Sun, 15 Apr. 2026
South Coast Repertory’s 2026-27 season will boast works by William Shakespeare, Stephen Sondheim and Oscar Wilde while also presenting the voices of new generations of playwrights, the Costa Mesa theater announced today, April 15.
—Jeffrey Miller, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
Both the original production and a new one, now running at the Cherry Lane Theatre, were directed by Anne Kauffman, known for her work with such playwrights as Amy Herzog and Jordan Harrison.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Lumet — himself a serious theater creature who shared an ethical bent with the twentieth century’s great American playwrights — specialized in movies about little guys’ going up against the system.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
How the Script Walks a Tonal Tightrope Radcliffe credited playwrights Macmillan and Donahoe with building a structure that lets the performer pivot rapidly between the heavy and the silly.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playwrights
Noun
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The sketch was written by human writers and all the characters are played by actors, save for the AI girlfriend who is — yes — synthetic herself.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
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Like Soldier Boy at times, the Legend is a character who mainly exists as an excuse for the writers to include copious references to old starlets these men have banged.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
Noun
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During the long aftermath of the civil-rights movement, many authors and advocates imagined that King’s struggle could be continued by expanding its reach.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Texas colleges and universities have lined up notable speakers for their graduating classes this month — including athletes, authors, public officeholders and industry leaders.—
Samantha Ketterer,
Houston Chronicle,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playwrights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playwrights. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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