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
Polk, a longtime business partner of Jordan who was vice chairman of Hornets Sports & Entertainment when Jordan was the NBA team’s majority owner, is depicted as masterminding efforts to undermine NASCAR.
—
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adelson was accused of masterminding the plot and enlisting the help of her own son, Charles Adelson, to carry it out.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Canberra expelled Tehran’s ambassador after accusing Iran of masterminding at least two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Govan was allegedly to receive 10% for masterminding the plot.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adelson was accused of masterminding the plot and enlisting the help of her own son, Charles Adelson, to carry it out.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Canberra expelled Tehran’s ambassador after accusing Iran of masterminding at least two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Govan was allegedly to receive 10% for masterminding the plot.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterminding
Verb
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Ukraine is also negotiating to sell its drone technology to the US and has offered other European countries assistance in dealing with incursions by drones.—
Victoria Butenko,
CNN Money,
28 Sep. 2025
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Christina Jolley, the senior vice president at Blanca Commercial Real Estate, said her team is negotiating with companies from a variety of industries, including tech, law, healthcare and marketing.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum return for the follow-up and are seen in the trailer as Madame Morrible and the Wizard, respectively, plotting Elphaba’s demise.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
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His upper half is running the play while his lower half is plotting an escape route.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The whistleblower complaint alleges that in addition to arranging for fake jobs, LAFS also illegally tied compensation for its sales team to student enrollment.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
23 Sep. 2025
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To roast pepitas, follow the same initial steps (preheating your oven, tossing them in olive oil and seasonings, and arranging them on a baking sheet).—
Johna Burdeos,
Health,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With Danny held hostage, Maria’s life begins to flourish and that star pupil, Pauline, inches ever-closer to her favorite docent as sympathies slip away and oscillate between characters, the film making quick work of manipulating mounting emotions.—
Holly Jones,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
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The video appears to show Lauren manipulating and firing the gun, but it’s recorded from a distance and has no sound.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Masterminding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterminding. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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