as in architect
a person who designs and guides a plan or undertaking
the real mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of mastermind
Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Prosecutors have said the mastermind behind Feeding Our Future, Minnesota's biggest fraud scheme to date, is Aimee Bock, a White woman.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
Arkansas Online, 26 Feb. 2026
The Los Angeles Lakers have unveiled a statue of Pat Riley outside their downtown arena to honor the head coach who masterminded their Showtime championship era.
—CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Noun
The attack’s mastermind, Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, was captured in 1995 and later convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Prosecutors have said the mastermind behind Feeding Our Future, Minnesota's biggest fraud scheme to date, is Aimee Bock, a White woman.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
The Brazão brothers were arrested in 2024 and accused of masterminding the crime.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Feb. 2026
The Los Angeles Lakers have unveiled a statue of Pat Riley outside their downtown arena to honor the head coach who masterminded their Showtime championship era.
—CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mastermind
Noun
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In recent years, the property has undergone a refresh, with local architect and interior designer Pietro Castagna devising a homey yet modern aesthetic in wilful contrast to the opulent features and intricate façades of the region’s other lakeside villas.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Mar. 2026
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The university claimed the defects were costly to repair and argued that both the architect and the construction team bore responsibility.—
David Sokol,
Architectural Digest,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Burkle twice was involved in attempts to purchase the Kings, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting, one of which was engineered in large part by Anderson.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 Mar. 2026
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The researchers used a lunar simulant from Exolith Labs, engineered to precisely mimic the chemical and physical properties of the soil samples returned by the Apollo missions.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Suffolk County acting Supreme Court Justice Joseph Farneti held off on ruling so both sides could negotiate, said Vincent Toomey, a lawyer for the Village of Sag Harbor.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
3 Mar. 2026
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This is the first time in Medicare’s history that the program has directly negotiated drug prices.—
Allison Palmer
March 3,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran may soon run out of drones, yet has other asymmetrical options – such as choking the Strait of Hormuz or plotting terror on foreign soil – that can irritate the US and disrupt peace.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Declan Rice and Gabriel are deep in conversation, plotting what could have been their team’s 22nd set-piece goal of the season — a familiar scene and something that antagonises the Brighton supporters.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Easter changes date every year, and the blooms on sale are carefully manipulated to bloom on time.—
Becky Wern,
Florida Times-Union,
7 Mar. 2026
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The most fantastical parts of the movie retain some of their power because Sher and Gyllenhaal subtly manipulate aspect ratio changes and a vertical growth across the film.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The partnership formed only after Wimbledon, arranged through Tien’s agent, despite the two having lived in the same Southern California tennis orbit for years without ever meeting.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Brick villas arranged in clusters have rooms in browns and creams; most come with balconies facing the Red Sea.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The zipper is the soft cooler’s only downside, which is tough to maneuver.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
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These systems travel at Mach 5 or faster and maneuver in flight.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mastermind. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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