Thesaurus

masterful

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of masterful

1 accomplished with trained ability

a masterful performance of a difficult piece for the violin

Synonyms of masterful

adroit, artful, bravura, deft, delicate, dexterous (also dextrous), expert, masterly, practiced (also practised), skillful, virtuoso, workmanlike

Words Related to masterful

artistic, creative, fancy, ingenious, neat

adept, clever, cunning

able, adequate, capable, competent

Near Antonyms of masterful

awkward, clumsy, crude, klutzy

ineffective, ineffectual

incompetent, inept

Antonyms of masterful

amateur, amateurish, artless, rude, unprofessional, unskillful

2 fond of ordering people around

a masterful coworker who liked to tell other people how to do their jobs

Synonyms of masterful

authoritarian, authoritative, autocratic (also autocratical), bossy, despotic, dictatorial, domineering, imperious, overbearing, peremptory, tyrannical (also tyrannic), tyrannous

Words Related to masterful

arrogant, assumptive, disdainful, fastuous, haughty, highfalutin (also hifalutin), high-and-mighty, high-hat, huffy, important, lofty, lordly, overweening, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, proud, self-asserting, supercilious, superior, toplofty (also toploftical), uppish, uppity

commanding, controlling, dictating, regimental

arbitrary, high-handed, imperial

directorial, magisterial

aggressive, assertive, self-assertive

conceited, narcissistic, pompous, vain

all-powerful, almighty, omnipotent

Near Antonyms of masterful

humble, meek, modest, unassuming

amenable, docile, obedient, tractable

indecisive, irresolute

acquiescent, compliant, passive, resigned, submissive, yielding

3 having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude

a masterful businesswoman who didn't hesitate to step on a lot of people as she climbed the ladder of success

Synonyms of masterful

arrogant, assumptive, bumptious, cavalier, chesty, haughty, high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, highfalutin (also hifalutin), huffish, huffy, imperious, important, lofty, lordly, overweening, peremptory, pompous, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, self-asserting, self-assertive, sniffy, stiff-necked, supercilious, superior, toplofty (also toploftical), uppish, uppity

Words Related to masterful

authoritarian, bossy, dominant, dominating, domineering, magisterial, pontifical, pontificating

condescending, disdainful, patronizing

impertinent, impudent, saucy

snobbish, snobby, snooty

blusterous, blustery, boastful, bombastic, braggart, bragging, braggy, cocky, swaggering, vain, vainglorious

complacent, conceited, egocentric, egoistic (also egoistical), egotistic (or egotistical), hubristic, narcissistic, orgulous, prideful, proud, self-affected, self-applauding, self-centered, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-pleased, self-satisfied, smug, stuck-up

self-flattering, self-loving, self-promoting

brash, forward, uninhibited, unreserved

extroverted (also extraverted), immodest

Near Antonyms of masterful

bashful, cowering, cringing, demure, diffident, introverted, mousy (or mousey), overmodest, self-critical, self-doubting, sheepish, shrinking, shy, subdued, timid

acquiescent, compliant, deferential, meek, passive, submissive, unaggressive, unassertive, unassuming, unobtrusive, yielding

quiet, reserved, retiring

Antonyms of masterful

humble, lowly, modest, unarrogant, unpretentious

4 having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor

a president who was celebrated as a masterful communicator of his administration's policies

Synonyms of masterful

accomplished, ace, adept, compleat, complete, consummate, crack, crackerjack, educated, experienced, expert, good, great, master, masterly, practiced (also practised), professed, proficient, skilled, skillful, versed, veteran, virtuoso

Words Related to masterful

adroit, clever, deft, dexterous (also dextrous), handy, slick, sure-handed

gifted, talented

polished, refined

effective, effectual, efficient, workmanlike

able, capable, competent, employable, fit, fitted, habile, qualified

knowledgeable, schooled, taught, trained, tutored

all-around (also all-round), well-rounded

multiskilled, multitalented

Near Antonyms of masterful

incapable, incompetent, inept, unable, unfit, unfitted, unqualified, weak

artless, crude, rude

ineffective, ineffectual, inefficient

talentless, ungifted, untalented

ignorant, unschooled, untaught, untrained, untutored

beginning, green, inexperienced, new, raw, unseasoned, untested, untried, would-be

primitive, rough, unpolished

awkward, clumsy, ham-fisted, ham-handed, heavy-handed

Antonyms of masterful

amateur, amateurish, inexperienced, inexpert, jackleg, unprofessional, unseasoned, unskilled, unskillful

Synonym Discussion of masterful

masterful, domineering, imperious, peremptory, imperative mean tending to impose one's will on others. masterful implies a strong personality and ability to act authoritatively.

- her masterful personality soon dominated the movement

domineering suggests an overbearing or arbitrary manner and an obstinate determination to enforce one's will.

- children controlled by domineering parents

imperious implies a commanding nature or manner and often suggests arrogant assurance.

- an imperious executive used to getting his own way

peremptory implies an abrupt dictatorial manner coupled with an unwillingness to brook disobedience or dissent.

- given a peremptory dismissal

imperative implies peremptoriness arising more from the urgency of the situation than from an inherent will to dominate.

- an imperative appeal for assistance

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