1
as in writer
a person who creates a written work
the roomful of unsung scriveners that it takes to churn out a weekly sitcom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in scribe
one who writes from dictation or copies manuscripts
the details of the contract were worked out by a lawyer, I being involved with it merely as a scrivener
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of scrivener
Much of the discourse during the Council discussion, however, centered on small corrections to the draft comprehensive plan, amounting to what Biss called scrivener’s errors.
—
Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
But in Doerfler’s estimation, the absence of a deportation order in Abrego Garcia’s case is no scrivener’s error.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025
Zach Thomas Woods infuses zany comic energy into Edgar, a young Scottish lawyer and scrivener (a copier of documents), sternly religious but desperately horny and infatuated with Ruth.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2023
The name of the candidate omitted in the Voter Guide is highlighted in red to emphasize the scrivener’s error.
—chicagotribune.com, 25 Mar. 2021
Her narrator’s final gesture, transforming herself into a piece of half-living art, echoes the odd and combative passivity of Herman Melville’s Bartleby, a scrivener who suddenly, inexplicably, refuses to perform his duties.
—Alexandra Kleeman, Vanities, 2 July 2018
In the short story by Herman Melville from which our new column takes its name, Bartleby was a scrivener—a dying art, nowadays.
—The Economist, 26 May 2018
Almost always, Shakespeare’s plays become mirrors when held up to the moments in which they are produced; Ralph Crane the scrivener was only the first among many annotators.
—Cynthia Zarin, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2017
Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
But in Doerfler’s estimation, the absence of a deportation order in Abrego Garcia’s case is no scrivener’s error.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025
Zach Thomas Woods infuses zany comic energy into Edgar, a young Scottish lawyer and scrivener (a copier of documents), sternly religious but desperately horny and infatuated with Ruth.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2023
The name of the candidate omitted in the Voter Guide is highlighted in red to emphasize the scrivener’s error.
—chicagotribune.com, 25 Mar. 2021
Her narrator’s final gesture, transforming herself into a piece of half-living art, echoes the odd and combative passivity of Herman Melville’s Bartleby, a scrivener who suddenly, inexplicably, refuses to perform his duties.
—Alexandra Kleeman, Vanities, 2 July 2018
In the short story by Herman Melville from which our new column takes its name, Bartleby was a scrivener—a dying art, nowadays.
—The Economist, 26 May 2018
Almost always, Shakespeare’s plays become mirrors when held up to the moments in which they are produced; Ralph Crane the scrivener was only the first among many annotators.
—Cynthia Zarin, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrivener
Noun
-
At the time, film and TV writers were boycotting major studios and fighting for fair compensation.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Kyle Lucia Wu is a writer based in New York City.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As for the other scribe behind the book, Bennett is penning the new Witchblade reboot and wrote the terrifying graphic novel Mommy Blog, released last year.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
-
His father had worked as a scribe, a schoolteacher, a clerk at a trading firm, a manager at a ferry service, in a swathe across northern-central-eastern India, living out of homes that were never self-owned.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
My schoolteachers introduced me to a mix of African and Kenyan classics by such authors as Chinua Achebe and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
But over the past few years, Muslim authors have produced bracingly original stories that foreground faith as a cornerstone of identity rather than a stumbling block.—
Hafsa Lodi,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Groff, the three-time National Book Award finalist and best-selling author, wrote the libretto with Doraiswamy and served as a kind of amanuensis to the production.—
Laura van Straaten,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
The journalist’s tone was snarky, but there were some direct quotes from my father’s amanuenses.—
Sage Mehta,
The New Yorker,
7 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Scrivener.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrivener. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
