masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈma-stər-ˌpēs How to pronounce masterpiece (audio)
Synonyms of masterpiecenext
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

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
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.
In Sally Potter’s 1992 masterpiece Orlando, Virginia Woolf’s classic novel of a British aristocrat who is born in the Elizabethan era and goes on to live for hundreds of years—oh, and who also changes genders at around the age of 30—is brought to bold and brilliant visual life. Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026 First-time visitors can expect a labyrinthine world—55 rooms, taking up over 21,00 square feet in all over five floors—connected by three lifts and four staircases, the most dramatic of which is a spiral masterpiece originally designed by Foster + Partners and extended as part of the renovation. Nick Scott, Robb Report, 28 June 2026 The masterpieces from Griffin’s collection include the large painting of a skull that Yusaku Maezawa bought at Sotheby’s in 2017 for $110 million, officially cementing Basquiat in the nine-figure canon with few other artists. Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 26 June 2026 No awkward conversation with Nana about why her masterpiece is now living in Lost and Found. Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for masterpiece

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of masterpiece was in 1600

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Cite this Entry

“Masterpiece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masterpiece. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

masterpiece

noun
mas·​ter·​piece ˈmas-tər-ˌpēs How to pronounce masterpiece (audio)
: a work done with great skill
especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement

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