as in architect
a person who designs and guides a plan or undertaking
the real mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to engineer
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
he was charged with masterminding a plan to redecorate the suite of offices without seriously disrupting business operations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mastermind
Susannah Cahalan, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
Emboldened by a dirty martini backstage, Rogen jumped in with a none-too-subtle reference to past attendee and current DOGE mastermind Elon Musk.
—Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2025
Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
Dallas rapper Yella Beezy has been arrested and charged with masterminding the 2020 murder of fellow rapper Mo3, according to court documents.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Noun
Kennedy’s close friend and sometime co-counsel Michael Tigar wrote in his own biography that Timothy later pointed a finger at Kennedy, calling him the mastermind, in order to seek revenge after their future falling-out.
—Susannah Cahalan, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
Emboldened by a dirty martini backstage, Rogen jumped in with a none-too-subtle reference to past attendee and current DOGE mastermind Elon Musk.
—Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
He is known for masterminding complex financial transactions aimed at minimizing tax and debt burdens for investors.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
Dallas rapper Yella Beezy has been arrested and charged with masterminding the 2020 murder of fellow rapper Mo3, according to court documents.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mastermind
Noun
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The Turtle, Niagara Falls, New York, completed in 1981 by Arapaho architect Dennis Sun Rhodes, the building, which has been vacant for three decades, stands as a powerful symbol of Indigenous heritage.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
8 May 2025
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Once rented by the Obamas, the owner of Blue Heron Farm in Chilmark is celebrated British architect Norman Foster, who’s extensively renovated the 30-acre estate since purchasing it in 2011 for $22.4 million.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
7 May 2025
Verb
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They are engineered through intentional, repeatable practices that rewire how people are seen, heard, and valued at every level of the system.—
Mary Hemphill, PhD,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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As in the 2003 film, the events are purposefully engineered by occult entities to test the bonds of blood.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The league’s roster rules are curated to maintain competitive parity, and include facets like salary caps, international slots and a hard limit on how many players can earn above the annual senior maximum salary (as negotiated with its players union in collective bargaining).—
Jeff Rueter,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Juggling showings, negotiating offers, and hunting for your dream home within budget is an all-consuming task.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Those close to her say the focus has been less about plotting her next campaign and more about helping shape the Democratic Party's path forward.—
Nidia Cavazos,
CBS News,
1 May 2025
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Mangione, accused of plotting and carrying out the murder of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, has garnered a following after the fact.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2025
Verb
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The book’s vivid digital art, collaged from her own photographs and manipulated in Photoshop, helped children connect with science and nature in new ways.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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Jewish Voice for Peace is an extremist group that manipulates the Jewish identity of some of its members to support terror, disrupt public life, and undermine the very essence of Jewish faith, identity and tradition.—
Chai Posner,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But the large open kitchen that takes up most of the room is the same—with cooks’ stations encircling a central vent that’s dramatically cantilevered, like the funnel of a cruise ship—as is the seating, much of it arranged around a sweeping U-shaped counter.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
4 May 2025
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Anderson, through his license for use of Lee’s name and likeness, arranged for Lee to gift him personal items that were to be placed in the museum but were allegedly rerouted to Anderson’s businesses.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
2 May 2025
Verb
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Israel seems to be maneuvering toward annexing parts of Gaza and maybe even southern Lebanon, while in Africa, Rwandan troops are pushing into neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.—
Margaret MacMillan,
The Atlantic,
30 Apr. 2025
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By default, the left stick adjusts altitude and rotation, while the right is used for lateral movement, so both hands must work together to maneuver the drone through the air.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mastermind. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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