mastermind

1 of 2

noun

mas·​ter·​mind ˈma-stər-ˌmīnd How to pronounce mastermind (audio)
ˌmas-tər-ˈ
: a person who supplies the directing or creative intelligence for a project

mastermind

2 of 2

verb

masterminded; masterminding; masterminds

transitive verb

: to be the mastermind of

Examples of mastermind in a Sentence

Noun the mastermind behind the terrorist plot the real mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme Verb They masterminded a unique solution to the problem. He masterminded the bank robbery.
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.
Noun
Guillaume Canet, Romain Duris, Lyna Khoudri and Louis Peres have been announced for the cast of a feature film reboot of Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain’s iconic Fantômas franchise about a criminal mastermind. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025 Chef Ashwin Vilkhu is the mastermind behind one of the city’s newest Asian restaurants, The Kingsway, located in the vibrant neighborhood of the Garden District. Dontaira Terrell, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
Harding is calm under pressure, has run three different newsrooms and, having masterminded Tortoise’s Observer acquisition, now has some commercial chops. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025 And whereas traditional oral supplements tend to be marketed as vectors for specific compounds, leaving users to mastermind their perfect mix, patches are usually cocktails that advertise their active ingredients less prominently. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mastermind

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1872, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mastermind was in 1872

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Cite this Entry

“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mastermind. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

mastermind

noun
mas·​ter·​mind
ˈmas-tər-ˌmīnd
ˌmas-tər-ˈmīnd
: a person who invents or directs a project
mastermind verb

More from Merriam-Webster on mastermind

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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