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. … 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
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.
Every year, more than 27,000 members of the Television Academy — actors and editors, showrunners and composers, the people who actually make television — sit down with their ballots and decide who walks away with an Emmy. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 If a team has multiple people filling creative roles, 20 percent of revenue goes to the creator/showrunner, 30 percent to the director(s), 10 percent to the episode writer(s), 5 percent to the bible writer(s) and five percent to music supervisor. — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 Stevens has been tapped to star as Alex Murphy and his cyborg alter ego in the show based from showrunner Peter Ocko and Blumhouse Atomic Monster based on the MGM movie franchise. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026 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

Rhymes for showrunner

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Browse Nearby Words

showroom
showrunner
show/see (someone) to the door
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Showrunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showrunner. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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