masterful
adjective
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Some commentators insist that masterful must only mean "domineering," reserving the "expert, skillful" sense for masterly. The distinction is a modern one. In earlier times, the terms were used interchangeably, with each having both the "domineering" and "expert" senses. The "domineering" sense of masterly fell into disuse around the 18th century, however, and in the 20th century the famous grammarian H. W. Fowler decided that masterful should be similarly limited to a single meaning. He summarily ruled that the "expert" definition of masterful was incorrect. Other usage writers followed his lead. But the "expert" meaning of masterful has continued to flourish in standard prose in spite of the disapproval, and, considering the sense's long history, it cannot really be called an error.
Examples of masterful in a Sentence
Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2026
The casitas feel remarkably private thanks to some masterful landscaping—even though many are physically close to the small roads they are located on, dense walls of foliage effectively screen them from anyone passing by.
—John Newton, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
Mike Vrabel has done a masterful coaching job to pull this team to the Super Bowl, but New England’s offense won’t be enough in this game.
—J.j. Bailey, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
In his masterful first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, ghouls and spirits keep chattering away, as if at a corner barbershop, while Abraham Lincoln mourns his dead 11-year-old son, Willie.
—Pico Iyer, Air Mail, 24 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Masterful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masterful. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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masterful
adjective
