Definition of magnum opusnext
as in masterpiece
something (as a work of art) that is a great achievement and often its creator's greatest achievement this symphony is usually considered Beethoven's magnum opus

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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 magnum opus At almost 1,500 pages, the most magnum of Italian magnum opuses was first printed in 1950. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026 Sooper’s magnum opus to date is a three-disc retrospective of the polymathic composer, pianist, dancer and DIY stalwart Charles Joseph Smith, released in April. — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 In his 1801 magnum opus Disquisitiones Arithmeticae, German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss wrote about a cyclical mystery. — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026 Now regarded as Paul Simon’s magnum opus, Graceland turns 40 this month—a fitting excuse for AIR MAIL to revisit it. — Air Mail, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for magnum opus
masterpiece
Noun
  • The Perfect Prescription is Spacemen 3’s masterpiece, an imperfect record made by one of the last holistically perfect groups of the 20th century.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Just be prepared for the machine to spend a considerable amount of time producing a small mountain of plastic waste alongside your masterpiece.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026

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“Magnum opus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/magnum%20opus. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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