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
Nonetheless, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi also owes a debt of gratitude to its Bilbao predecessor, a building considered by many to be Gehry’s magnum opus.
—
Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
The Guggenheim Museum building in Northern Spain is regarded as his magnum opus.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Dec. 2025
More than 25 years after The Matrix, Lilly Wachowski is not surprised by the right-wing misinterpretation of her and sister Lana Wachowski’s magnum opus.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2025
Tied for the longest game in the 121-year history of the World Series, at 18 innings, the outing will largely be remembered as the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani’s second magnum opus of the fall (more on his first later).
—Steve Rushin, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
The Guggenheim Museum building in Northern Spain is regarded as his magnum opus.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Dec. 2025
More than 25 years after The Matrix, Lilly Wachowski is not surprised by the right-wing misinterpretation of her and sister Lana Wachowski’s magnum opus.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2025
Tied for the longest game in the 121-year history of the World Series, at 18 innings, the outing will largely be remembered as the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani’s second magnum opus of the fall (more on his first later).
—Steve Rushin, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for magnum opus
masterpiece
Noun
-
The marque is full of artists that can’t let their masterpieces go untouched and instead must keep changing the models for new audiences.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
30 Jan. 2026
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His reflections on the controversies and critical snubbings that greeted movies that have since become consensus masterpieces are nuanced without descending into false modesty.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Magnum opus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/magnum%20opus. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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