masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈma-stər-ˌpēs 

1

: a work done with extraordinary skill

especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement

2

: a piece of work presented to a medieval guild as evidence of qualification for the rank of master

Synonyms of masterpiece

• classic
• masterwork

Examples of masterpiece in a Sentence

The painting was immediately recognized as a masterpiece.

Herman Melville's masterpiece was Moby-Dick.

Her study of apes is a masterpiece.

Recent Examples on the Web

More than anything, Swift’s masterpiece stands athwart Utopia and denounces the risky delusions of such a no-pace—for the most part. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026

The painting echoes the composition of Eugène Delacroix’s 1830 masterpiece Liberty Leading the People, which hangs in the Louvre in Paris. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Chiba's masterpiece series became so popular that fans even attended a mock funeral for the protagonist Joe Yabuki's rival. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Zaha Hadid Architects principal Patrik Schumacher likens the collection’s élan with that achieved by the masterpieces of Michelangelo and the Renaissance, but reimagined for the 21st century. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for masterpiece

• altarpiece
• centerpiece
• frontispiece
• mantelpiece
• pilates
• specialise
• stabilise
• syntheses
• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice

Kids Definition

masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈmas-tər-ˌpēs 

: a work done with great skill

especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement