mastery

noun

mas·​tery ˈma-st(ə-)rē 

1

a

: the authority of a master : dominion

b

: the upper hand in a contest or competition : superiority, ascendancy

2

a

: possession or display of great skill or technique

b

: skill or knowledge that makes one master of a subject : command

Synonyms of mastery

• proficiency

Examples of mastery in a Sentence

We were impressed by her mastery of the subject.

She achieved a complete mastery of French.

He struggled to gain mastery of his fears.

Recent Examples on the Web

Northwood showcased its mastery of the fundamentals by playing errorless defense behind freshman pitcher Olivia Chen and scored eight runs in the fifth inning to defeat Grace 11-1 in the Division 5 final at Deanna Manning Stadium. —Dan Albano, Oc Register, 30 May 2026

Knight emphasized the importance of mastery over participation and high graduation rates. —Jake Przytarski, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026

High performers stop chasing novelty and start building mastery. —Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026

As condolences and recollections pour in, the common thread — one that matched my own experiences when living in Doha — was that beneath Al Attiyah’s encyclopedic knowledge of the region’s history and mastery of energy politics, his humility and warmth was what drew people in. —Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English maistrie, from Anglo-French mestrie, maistrie, from meistre master

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing mastery

• self-mastery

Kids Definition

mastery

noun

mas·​tery ˈmas-t(ə-)rē 

plural masteries

1

: the position or authority of a master

2

: victory

3

: skill or knowledge that makes one master of something : command

a mastery of French