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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Recent Examples of magnum opus
The repulsive-yet-beautiful magnum opus that remained has been tangled up in theories about Pasolini’s murder ever since.
—
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025
The Infamous served as Havoc and the late Prodigy’s magnum opus sophomore album, which reached No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1995.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
The result was not just an album, but a cultural touchstone—widely regarded as Blige’s magnum opus.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Because of his experiences with the Bomarc, and his place in American Empire, Pynchon’s magnum opus contains everything from Loony Tunes, to Nazis, to the technical specifications of a German V2 rocket—Pynchon’s Melvillian whale.
—Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025
The Infamous served as Havoc and the late Prodigy’s magnum opus sophomore album, which reached No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1995.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
The result was not just an album, but a cultural touchstone—widely regarded as Blige’s magnum opus.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Because of his experiences with the Bomarc, and his place in American Empire, Pynchon’s magnum opus contains everything from Loony Tunes, to Nazis, to the technical specifications of a German V2 rocket—Pynchon’s Melvillian whale.
—Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for magnum opus
masterpiece
Noun
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Our immune system is an evolutionary masterpiece.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
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The Peninsula Grill's late chef and owner Robert Carter took his grandmother’s coconut cake and turned it into a masterpiece.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Magnum opus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/magnum%20opus. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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