GURU Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

guru

noun

ˈgu̇r-(ˌ)ü

Definition of guru

as in expert

a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field one of those weather gurus that the television networks always drag out whenever there's a big blizzard brewing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in practitioner

one who brings an art or science to full realization the leading guru of electronic music in the 1960s

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of guru The lifestyle guru, Reese Witherspoon, Katie Holmes, and Hailey Bieber have all been leaning into the breezy button-down shirt trend, which makes for such a chic swap for basic, look-dampening tees. — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 20 July 2026 Typically, at this age, the B and C-listers typically turn into self-help gurus who suddenly start praying to some butterfly goddess while on a retreat in Costa Rica. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026 Offensive guru Brian Daboll was pretty incompetent as the Giants’ coach and hit the bricks, and in walks Super Bowl winning coach John Harbaugh. — Vic Tafur, New York Times, 17 July 2026 And travel guru Rick Steves reminded us that jet lag is not something that simply has a learning curve. — Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for guru

Recent Examples of Synonyms for guru

Noun

Under the heady ride of turf expert Hector Berrios, Gold Phoenix saved ground inside, held off 3-5 favorite Formidable Man down the stretch and caught Cabo Spirit near the wire to win the $250,000 Grade II Eddie Read Stakes.

— Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026
While beneficial, some experts suggest alternatives like 529 plans might offer better tax treatment for gains if not receiving the seed money.

— Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Definition of expert

Noun

The complaint, often at the bottom of the Dockets section, will list the allegations the practice or practitioner has been accused of.

— Ella Moore July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
The Self Alignment Cruise was created with Rose Ferguson, a nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 22 July 2026

Definition of practitioner

Noun

The competition series featured masters of shamanism, tarot, face and foot reading, saju and other divination disciplines competing in challenges that tested their abilities, using tools including fans, bells, dowsing rods and modern-day laptops.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026
This story covers the rise of robots rebelling against their masters.

— Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of master

Noun

His mind didn’t go blank; rather, all the what-ifs multiplied like exponents, crowding his thoughts and rendering him unable to envision anything else.

— Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Often categorized along with Bellow and Bernard Malamud as exponents of a particularly Jewish-American sensibility, all three were additionally masters of the American voice.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 June 2026

Definition of exponent

Noun

But University of Pennsylvania classics scholar Emily Wilson, who published her own translation of Homer's epic in 2017, says Nolan's script is poorly written and lacking in emotional depth and character development.

— Dave Davies, NPR, 29 July 2026
Native Forward has since funded over 22,000 scholars, significantly increasing Native professionals.

— Laurel Donnellan, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of scholar

Noun

Lest things get predictable, Tasjan’s adept at letting the music battle with the lyrics in a way that hints at how any experience is far more complex than we are led to believe.

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2026
Tech pioneer adept at shifting gears Atom Power was co-founded in 2015 by Kouroussis and Ryan Kennedy as a UNC Charlotte incubator, a project that started at the college before spinning off its own company and moving to the Lake Norman area.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026

Definition of adept

Noun

Jones eventually embraced a broad swath of influences ranging from the inimitable Stevie Wonder to prog-rock virtuoso Keith Emerson.

— Dave Gil De Rubio, Daily News, 14 July 2026
Just two weeks after Bob Dylan guitarist Doug Lancio vanished from the tour and was replaced by jazz virtuoso Julian Lage, Bob Britt — who has played guitar in Dylan’s band since 2019 — has apparently left the group as well.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026

Definition of virtuoso

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“Guru.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guru. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of guru

noun

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