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
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Recent Examples of mastermind
Ari Levy,jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
The al-Qaeda mastermind and chief was killed in a daring SEAL Team 6 raid deep into Pakistan in May 2011.
—David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Jennifer Cannon, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026
Its Scandinavian design was masterminded by a Swiss architect, and while the angles may be precise and dramatic, the furnishings are unabashedly hygge, with sheepskins, soft throws, and wood-burning fireplaces throughout to fend off the coastal damp.
—Ashley Baker, Air Mail, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Noun
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images Cook is known as the mastermind of Apple’s supply chain, architecting the company’s shift to manufacturing in China roughly 25 years ago and its partnership with Foxconn.
—Ari Levy,jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
The al-Qaeda mastermind and chief was killed in a daring SEAL Team 6 raid deep into Pakistan in May 2011.
—David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
Sixty-five years ago, my grandfather masterminded a robbery at a historic Los Angeles estate.
—Jennifer Cannon, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026
Its Scandinavian design was masterminded by a Swiss architect, and while the angles may be precise and dramatic, the furnishings are unabashedly hygge, with sheepskins, soft throws, and wood-burning fireplaces throughout to fend off the coastal damp.
—Ashley Baker, Air Mail, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mastermind
Noun
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For the early architects, food was always political and thus, so too was food justice—a direct affront to unfair systems.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
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Crafted by designer and architect Peter Marino in collaboration with Peter McCoy of McCoy Construction, the entire spread offers a total of 39 bedrooms and 50 full bathrooms, plus another nine powder rooms, across an astonishing 70,000 square feet.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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So, the ribosome provides a very stringent test of whether engineering out an amino acid can be tolerated by cells.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
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Allen, described in court filings as a California teacher and engineer with no prior criminal history, had initially sought release pending trial.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Despite attempts to negotiate the Strait of Hormuz’s reopening during an ongoing ceasefire, the narrow waterway remains shut to virtually all ship traffic.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Olthof Homes successfully challenged a $100,000 penalty levied by the town in the Indiana Court of Appeals, so a lower fine was negotiated between the two parties.—
Amy Lavalley,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Policy favored the monsters who plot in the background, more Kissinger than Kennedy.—
Eli Durst,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Down Time is refreshingly original in its choice to plot the pandemic as a point on a timeline that extends in either direction, rather than viewing it in isolation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, college and professional athletes have also been caught trying to manipulate prediction markets as online sports betting has exploded.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
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For decades, people have used tools such as Photoshop to manipulate digital imagery.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Despite the setbacks, Rivera and Nuhfer continued to communicate with Sessions and arranged for the congressman to travel to Caracas to meet with Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at a military compound near the presidential palace on April 2, 2018.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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Ride-share services are readily available, golf carts can be arranged in select areas and most stations are located in or just steps from vibrant downtown districts.—
Karon Warren,
AJC.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Elodea cells were small enough for the particular assemblage of chloroplasts within to pack themselves tightly to absorb maximum light, and large enough for chloroplasts to maneuver around one another to avoid it when needed.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
4 May 2026
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Tight waterways also make escorting convoys problematic, as there is little room to maneuver to avoid threats.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mastermind. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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