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 idea of the singularity has existed since black holes first emerged from the solutions to Albert Einstein's magnum opus theory of gravity, general relativity, which was published in 1916.
—
Robert Lea, Space.com, 11 June 2025
This news comes straight from the RIAA awards social media page, which also notes that Metallica’s magnum opus Master of Puppets has now gone eight times platinum as well.
—Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
With Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys’ 1966 magnum opus, Wilson turned his outsider’s fear inside-out.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Photo: Courtesy of Whatever Milan The magnum opus of a lifelong creative partnership, the Fondazione Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti opens its doors to the public for the first time in Rome’s Piazza Mignanelli on May 22.
—Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Robert Lea, Space.com, 11 June 2025
This news comes straight from the RIAA awards social media page, which also notes that Metallica’s magnum opus Master of Puppets has now gone eight times platinum as well.
—Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
With Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys’ 1966 magnum opus, Wilson turned his outsider’s fear inside-out.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Photo: Courtesy of Whatever Milan The magnum opus of a lifelong creative partnership, the Fondazione Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti opens its doors to the public for the first time in Rome’s Piazza Mignanelli on May 22.
—Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for magnum opus
masterpiece
Noun
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His screenplay for Network is regarded as his masterpiece and has been hailed as one of greatest and most prescient screenplays of the 20th century.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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Virginia Woolf’s wild run of creativity in her 40s included writing her masterpiece on the terrors and triumphs of middle age.—
Hillary Kelly,
The Atlantic,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Magnum opus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/magnum%20opus. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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