as in negotiating
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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Recent Examples of masterminding
Bankman-Fried was convicted of masterminding one of the largest financial frauds in history stemming from the collapse of the crypto-exchange FTX.
—
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 12 June 2026
Johnson was convicted of capital murder on March 19, 2003, for masterminding the 1999 shooting.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
Then revive ancient accusations of Jews masterminding a political conspiracy and engaging in ritual murder and dismemberment.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Adán Fúnez, a former mayor of the city of Tocoa, was captured at his home on suspicion of masterminding the killing, after years of accusations by religious and environmental leaders.
—Marlon González, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Dior beauty experts will be masterminding the services.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
Among other things, Timerman was accused of masterminding a plot to establish a Jewish homeland in the remote Patagonia region of southern Argentina.
—Juan Melamed, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is serving 20 years in prison for masterminding the scheme.
—Julie Carr Smyth The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
Yoon was found guilty of abuse of authority and masterminding the insurrection.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 12 June 2026
Johnson was convicted of capital murder on March 19, 2003, for masterminding the 1999 shooting.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
Then revive ancient accusations of Jews masterminding a political conspiracy and engaging in ritual murder and dismemberment.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Adán Fúnez, a former mayor of the city of Tocoa, was captured at his home on suspicion of masterminding the killing, after years of accusations by religious and environmental leaders.
—Marlon González, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Dior beauty experts will be masterminding the services.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
Among other things, Timerman was accused of masterminding a plot to establish a Jewish homeland in the remote Patagonia region of southern Argentina.
—Juan Melamed, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is serving 20 years in prison for masterminding the scheme.
—Julie Carr Smyth The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
Yoon was found guilty of abuse of authority and masterminding the insurrection.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterminding
Verb
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Much of the present state, Taylor notes, is a result of historic misalignment of incentives, between a retailer’s trade teams—some of whom are focused on negotiating margins from suppliers in exchange for promotions and the retail media teams whose charge is to generate new revenue.—
David Doty,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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Esmail Qaani, the commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force, offered his gratitude and personal endorsement to Ghalibaf and the rest of the negotiating team.—
Hamidreza Azizi,
Time,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Kainerugaba has threatened to hang Besigye, accusing him of plotting to kill Museveni.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
Hidden amongst them are the Werewolves, a secret set plotting to eliminate players one by one and steal the prize.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Angelina Guatemala, 64, counted on federal food stamps after retiring a couple of years ago in Ogden, Kansas, from assorted jobs arranging flowers, decorating cakes in shops, and preparing meals.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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Let the flowers rest in the bucket of water for an hour to rehydrate fully before arranging them.—
Viveka Neveln,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Fears of government officials manipulating world events – including the Iran war – to make a quick buck.—
Matt Motta,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
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What online scammers are looking to steal The FBI issued a warning last month that cybercriminals are manipulating or reproducing the official FIFA World Cup website to scam fans who are looking for tickets, hospitality packages, merchandise, streaming access and betting opportunities.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Masterminding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterminding. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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