MASTERMINDED Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

masterminded

verb

past tense of mastermind

as in negotiated

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

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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 masterminded This year, keen on broadening the group’s hard luxury footprint, Grassi Damiani masterminded the acquisition of Baume & Mercier, the group’s first pure watchmaking brand. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026 For decades, the prevailing story of the Manson murders held that Charles Manson masterminded a murderous plot to ignite a race war inspired by the Beatles. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Ferrell, who had an alternate offer, then masterminded an exit strategy. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026 Mostly young protesters support Fedorov Syrskyi initially organized the defense of Kyiv in February 2022, and seven months later masterminded a successful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region. — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 The main building has five floors of 90 rooms and the neighboring tower features 51 residences that have been renovated with complimentary design, masterminded by Jenny Bukovec Studio in New York. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026 Prosecutors said the ringleader was recruited online for a plot masterminded by Russia’s intelligence services. — ABC News, 16 June 2026 The insurance company has alleged that a rogue AI robot masterminded Dela Torre’s campaign to improperly challenge her settlement agreement, generating a flurry of baseless and abusive filings that cost $300,000 to contest. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026 Famous architect John Nash (who was also behind the design of Buckingham Palace) masterminded the original estate as a classical storied mansion. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 11 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterminded

Verb

Know More The Pentagon has negotiated equity or some equivalent, like warrants, in at least 10 companies since Cerberus cofounder Steve Feinberg was confirmed as deputy defense secretary last year.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Individual tribes negotiated with the United States with little success.

— Sandra Slater, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of negotiated

Verb

Wrapped in a tough, drop-proof fabric shell that floats and shrugs off water, it is engineered to survive real-world chaos.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026
Watch for detergent makers to market enzyme blends specifically engineered for cold, which would signal the industry sees cold water as the permanent default.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of engineered

Verb

Look out for crystals, beading, and embroidery arranged with enough precision to feel considered rather than excessive.

— Corinne Pierre-Louis, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2026
With its octagonal clusters of flats arranged around a central water tower that looks like a fist raised against the sky, the neighborhood doesn’t have much spirit of community.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of arranged

Verb

Even as the list has now slimmed down to six titles, the breadth of the places plotted out on the short list remains capacious as ever.

— Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
The slaying, which federal prosecutors say was partly plotted in South Florida, plunged the country deeper into chaos.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of plotted

Verb

Mac Haddow, with the American Kratom Association, said the FDA and states that have banned kratom are conflating the natural product with synthetic and chemically manipulated ones, which are associated with adverse effects and even deaths.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
The FraudClassifier model distinguishes between payments initiated by authorized and unauthorized parties and explicitly recognizes situations in which an authorized party was manipulated or acted fraudulently.

— Shahen Minasyan, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of manipulated

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“Masterminded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterminded. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of masterminded

verb

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