mas·ter·mind
ˈma-stər-ˌmīnd 
ˌmas-tər-ˈ
: a person who supplies the directing or creative intelligence for a project
masterminded; masterminding; masterminds
: 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
Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Some of the masterminds behind NBC‘s Saturday Night Live Season 51 brought the laughs all the way from Studio 8H to the DGA Theater to break down the process behind keeping the iconic sketch comedy engine running after more than five decades for Deadline Contenders TV.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has masterminded the charter rewrite, promoting it as a way to make county government more transparent and accountable to the public.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
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Noun
Eight co-conspirators were convicted, with the mastermind sentenced to 30 months in jail.
—Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Some of the masterminds behind NBC‘s Saturday Night Live Season 51 brought the laughs all the way from Studio 8H to the DGA Theater to break down the process behind keeping the iconic sketch comedy engine running after more than five decades for Deadline Contenders TV.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
O’Neill masterminded Nike’s pivot away from wholesale, a move that ended badly when retailers started carrying all of Nike’s competitors instead, and oversaw its women’s business, which never matched its men’s line.
—Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has masterminded the charter rewrite, promoting it as a way to make county government more transparent and accountable to the public.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Cite this Entry
“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mastermind. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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