masterstroke

noun

mas·​ter·​stroke ˈma-stər-ˌstrōk How to pronounce masterstroke (audio)
: a masterly performance or move

Examples of masterstroke in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The anti-Maduro camp celebrated the move as a masterstroke, one that Maduro had not been able to find an answer to, until Sunday’s election. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2024 The groove alone would be enough to earn this joyous masterstroke a spot on any countdown of Prince's finest hours. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 27 June 2024 The masterstroke here is one of tone with Coel never taking her subject matter anything less than seriously but also not leaning into traditional melodrama or case-of-the-week clichés. Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 17 May 2024 But serious dive watch geeks right now are busy marveling at a new technical masterstroke: the compression ring within the Ringlock system in this new piece—the part of the watch’s architecture that equips it to withstand depths of up to 3,900 meters—is now crafted from ceramic. Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for masterstroke 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'masterstroke.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1679, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of masterstroke was in 1679

Dictionary Entries Near masterstroke

Cite this Entry

“Masterstroke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masterstroke. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

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