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
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Norris, Stern's quiet sidekick and mastermind of many of the show's parody songs and sound effects, has been with Stern since 1979, while Quivers, who started with Stern in 1981 as his news anchor, remains Stern's steady guiding force.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
Harding is calm under pressure, has run three different newsrooms and, having masterminded Tortoise’s Observer acquisition, now has some commercial chops.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Noun
Still, Rizo did sway more votes than anyone else, was a strategic mastermind, found a way to keep his trio safe when the odds were stacked against them, and held onto a beware idol longer than any other player in the game.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Norris, Stern's quiet sidekick and mastermind of many of the show's parody songs and sound effects, has been with Stern since 1979, while Quivers, who started with Stern in 1981 as his news anchor, remains Stern's steady guiding force.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
Cavusoglu also masterminded an editor’s panel.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
Harding is calm under pressure, has run three different newsrooms and, having masterminded Tortoise’s Observer acquisition, now has some commercial chops.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mastermind
Noun
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But the trend goes beyond renovations, Nelson says, and is increasingly shaping what architects and developers are creating in new properties.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
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The last few days have been full of emotions for Sebastian, a 28-year-old Venezuelan architect who lives in Miami.—
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Khan blamed the army and the United States for engineering his ouster, and led energetic protests demanding immediate, fresh elections.—
Rafia Zakaria,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
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Those sensors have also been engineered to self-clean throughout a journey so that snow and ice aren’t able to accumulate fast enough to disrupt the vehicle’s line of sight, according to Tretter.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This has given the conflict a religious coloration, and political elites have also chosen to politicize the conflict to negotiate power and other interests, which has complicated the problem.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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One head of a negotiating delegation told CNN they were being charged more than $20,000 for two weeks in a three-bedroom apartment.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Bea incredulously finds out that Christy has been involved in a treasure hunt for years now, believing that there is a million dollars hidden somewhere in the state, planning and plotting her methods of finding it, and Christy is finally setting her plan in motion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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But moderate House Republicans are plotting potential compromise measures with moderates in the Senate.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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An onboard synthesizer manipulates a small set of core sounds to mimic everything from the roar of a jet plane to the flushing of a toilet through a little speaker in the Brick.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Jan. 2026
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In some cases, CBS News ran images through AI detection tools, which can be inconsistent or inaccurate but can still help flag possibly manipulated content.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Despite his level-headedness, Mike is mightily discontent with the low-wattage gigs that are arranged for him by, of all people, his dentist (Fisher Stevens), who soon replaces that absent tooth.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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As a newcomer to composing and arranging for strings, Simon benefitted greatly by working with a group readily available for consultation and collaboration.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When choosing a clay for children, look for one that is known to be relatively soft and easy to maneuver without too much pressure or kneading.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
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Simple Ways to Check Plus, other helpful strategies for maneuvering around crowded planes and sold-out cabins.—
Hana Al-Khodairi,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mastermind. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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