screenplay
3 synonyms for screenplay, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The written text of a film or TV show, including dialogue, scenes, and action descriptions.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
teleplay
shooting script
How to use screenplay
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
write a screenplay
adapt a screenplay
original screenplay
Etymology
A straightforward blend of "screen" (the cinema screen) and "play" (a dramatic script), coined once movies needed their own term distinct from stage plays.
Full origin of screenplay →Frequently asked questions
What does “screenplay” mean?
The word “screenplay” means the written text of a film or TV show, including dialogue, scenes, and action descriptions. In plain terms, the full written blueprint for a movie or TV episode — dialogue, scene descriptions, and stage directions.
How do you pronounce “screenplay”?
“Screenplay” is pronounced SKREEN-play (/ˈskɹiːnˌpleɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “screenplay” in a sentence?
Here is “screenplay” used in a sentence: “The director asked for three rewrites of the screenplay before filming began.”
What part of speech is “screenplay”?
Depending on how it is used, “screenplay” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “screenplay” a common word?
“Screenplay” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “screenplay” have?
“Screenplay” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the written text of a film or TV show, including dialogue, scenes, and action descriptions.
What is the difference between a screenplay and a script?
A screenplay specifically refers to the written text for a film or TV show, including dialogue, scene descriptions, and action. 'Script' is a broader term that can refer to writing for film, television, theatre, radio, or other performance media, so every screenplay is a script but not every script is a screenplay.
What is the difference between a screenplay and a novel?
A screenplay is written to be performed and filmed, focusing on dialogue, action descriptions, and scene structure rather than the internal narration and prose style found in a novel. Screenplays follow strict formatting conventions for scene headings and camera direction that novels don't use.
Can screenplay be used as a verb?
Yes, screenplay can function as a verb meaning to write a screenplay for a film or show, though this usage is far less common than the noun form referring to the written text itself.
