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
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
Western officials say Russia is masterminding a campaign of sabotage and disruption across Europe.
—ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Under South Korean law, masterminding an insurrection carries a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
They are accused en masse of masterminding a multi-billion-dollar ripoff of federal funds.
—Robert W. Laird, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Bowers had spent the past few years masterminding bombings at Mississippi’s Black churches and, more recently, synagogues as well.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 4 Feb. 2026
Rebellion is one of the gravest criminal charges in South Korea, with the independent counsel recently demanding the death penalty for Yoon, who was charged with masterminding a rebellion.
—CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
An earlier Times report noted that the home was built in 2003, with Sorrell Design masterminding the architecture.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
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
Western officials say Russia is masterminding a campaign of sabotage and disruption across Europe.
—ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Under South Korean law, masterminding an insurrection carries a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
They are accused en masse of masterminding a multi-billion-dollar ripoff of federal funds.
—Robert W. Laird, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Bowers had spent the past few years masterminding bombings at Mississippi’s Black churches and, more recently, synagogues as well.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 4 Feb. 2026
Rebellion is one of the gravest criminal charges in South Korea, with the independent counsel recently demanding the death penalty for Yoon, who was charged with masterminding a rebellion.
—CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
An earlier Times report noted that the home was built in 2003, with Sorrell Design masterminding the architecture.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterminding
Verb
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Iranian media outlets are portraying the development as a victory for Tehran’s negotiating position, claiming that Iran’s insistence on linking progress in talks with Washington to a ceasefire in Lebanon compelled the United States and Israel to agree to a ceasefire there.—
CNN staff,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
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Documents entered in court on Thursday show that the man’s lawyers and prosecutors have been negotiating a deal, though the terms and just what Bryant would be admitting to aren’t yet known.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The process is designed to keep a president at the helm, so the president doesn’t have to worry about his own appointees plotting against him, Kalt explained.—
Daniel C. Vock,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Orbán also leaves behind a fiscal mess, which the analyst Dalibor Rohac suggests Orbán might be happy to abandon while plotting his comeback.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But these three high school students aren't arranging bouquets in a floral shop.—
Bo Evans,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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In the city center, the five-star boutique Anthology of Athens by the award-winning Elastic Architects has been arranging secluded luxury stays steps from the Acropolis since late 2024.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Clayton Seigle, a senior fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told ABC News that spoofing or manipulating the tracking system can obscure a vessel's origins, destination and cargo.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Of course, Butcher does a lot of blatant manipulating here, using Ryan’s insecurity about his deadly powers to convince him the world is better without supes altogether.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Masterminding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterminding. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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