dungeon master
/ˈdʌŋ.dʒən ˈmæs.tər/
CommonThe person who runs the story and controls the world in a tabletop RPG game.
Used with respect in gaming circles. Online, sometimes borrowed to describe someone who orchestrates or controls a situation from behind the scenes.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | our DM stayed up until 3am prepping tonight's session and it shows | The dungeon master put serious effort into the game and it was noticeably good. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | I finally convinced my friend to DM and she is terrifyingly good at it | Someone new to running games turned out to be a natural dungeon master. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | being a dungeon master is basically being an improv actor, a writer, and a referee all at once | Running a TTRPG requires a lot of different simultaneous skills. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 04 | my DM just killed my character off and i'm not okay | The dungeon master made a story decision that eliminated the player's character. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- Describing the person who runs a D&D or TTRPG session.
- Crediting someone for good worldbuilding or storytelling in a game.
- Casually referring to anyone orchestrating a complex situation like a game master.
Do not use it when
- You mean a game designer or video game developer.
- You mean a moderator or admin in an online community.Use “mod” instead.
Variations and related forms
Dungeon master vs game master
dungeon master
Dungeon master is the D&D-specific title from Dungeons and Dragons.
VS
game-master
Game master is the generic term used across all tabletop RPG systems.
Origin and context
Term originating from Dungeons and Dragons, first published by TSR in 1974. The dungeon master role was defined in the original rulebook as the player who designs and runs the adventure.
- First seen
- 1974
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/dungeon-masterUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0