MASTERMIND Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

mastermind 1 of 2

noun

ˈma-stər-ˌmīnd

Definition of mastermind

as in architect

a person who designs and guides a plan or undertaking the real mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

mastermind

2 of 2

verb

as in to engineer

to plan out usually with subtle skill or care he was charged with masterminding a plan to redecorate the suite of offices without seriously disrupting business operations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 mastermind

Noun

Berlinger maintained Manson's reputation as an evil mastermind was fueled more by myth than reality. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Prosecutors alleged that Donna was one of the masterminds behind Markel’s murder, helping to fund the contract killing, which was estimated to cost even more than $100,000, according to court documents obtained by CNN. — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026

Verb

Olivier Echaudemaison, who masterminded makeup for some of the most storied French luxury houses, died early Wednesday at age 84. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026 Those meetings included Bolton, Galliano and Anna Wintour, the Vogue editor who masterminds the Met Gala every year. — ABC News, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mastermind

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mastermind

Noun

Sudō also sometimes shares ideas with her husband, the architect Kazuyoshi Sudō.

— Leslie Camhi, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2026
The late Henry Kissinger initially made his name as an academic writing about nuclear arms control during the Cold War, and latterly forged his reputation as the architect of US-China detente.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of architect

Verb

Yup, the bike will be manufactured in China even though it's designed and engineered in its home country, Spain.

— Bultaco, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2026
These layers were engineered to create electronic energy levels that strengthen interactions between light and matter.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of engineer

Verb

Companies can also negotiate program structures that better reflect their loss experience or industry profile.

— Randy Sadler, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
London is now going in a different direction, negotiating closer regulatory alignment with Brussels on agriculture, energy, and defense.

— JONAS NAHM, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of negotiate

Verb

Bank of America plots the asset allocation of its wealthy private clients weekly.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
Stolen and enslaved Indigenous people formed new networks of kinship; learned new skills and languages; retained memories of family, kin, and rituals; and, through it all, continually plotted to return home.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of plot

Verb

Posters are editing and manipulating the recordings to distort their content.

— Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
But even if the risks are merely bad—like hacking into a single financial institution or hospital, manipulating the stock market, or taking out an electrical grid—suing a company after the fact won’t really provide the outcome society wants.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of manipulate

Verb

AmaWaterways arranges pre- and post-cruise stays of several nights in both cities with luxury accommodations, cultural exploration led by local experts, and transfers between hotel and ship.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
For this development, the team worked with two-dimensional hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites, arranging alternating organic and inorganic layers into precise crystalline structures.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of arrange

Verb

The vehicle will then maneuver its way to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile about 10 hours after launch, SpaceX wrote in the mission description.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Because of the narrow and winding roads leading to the neighborhood, firefighters had a difficult time maneuvering fire trucks into the area.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of maneuver

Browse Nearby Words

masterly

mastermind

masterminded

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mastermind. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of mastermind

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

aggrandize

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes