as in architects
a person who designs and guides a plan or undertaking
the real mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in engineers
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 masterminds
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025
The San Diego crew allegedly kept a small percentage of the funds and sent the rest to the scheme’s masterminds in India and elsewhere.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2025
During Sunday's interview with Franceinfo radio, Beccuau said the suspects do not appear to be international criminal masterminds.
—ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025
Even the masterminds shared a few things with you.
—Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
Israel views him and some others as terrorist masterminds who murdered Israeli civilians and has refused to release them in past exchanges.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
Once enlisted, recruits rarely meet the masterminds behind the crimes, instead receiving instructions through handlers online.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
Mommy Pai’s, the latest venture from the masterminds behind Thai Diner and the late Uncle Boons, seems to follow this road map—on paper, at least.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Unlike high-cost advisors or one-size-fits-all masterminds, these tools offer flexibility to adapt as income changes and knowledge grows.
—Alejandra Rojas, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
Fortuna, one of just 18 vessels crafted by the Italian masterminds as part of its Anniversario collection, will give those lucky few the chance to cruise out onto Lago Di Como for around 45 minutes, taking in the Las Vegas sights and the famed Bellagio fountain from a completely new vantage point.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025
The San Diego crew allegedly kept a small percentage of the funds and sent the rest to the scheme’s masterminds in India and elsewhere.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2025
During Sunday's interview with Franceinfo radio, Beccuau said the suspects do not appear to be international criminal masterminds.
—ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025
Even the masterminds shared a few things with you.
—Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
Israel views him and some others as terrorist masterminds who murdered Israeli civilians and has refused to release them in past exchanges.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
Once enlisted, recruits rarely meet the masterminds behind the crimes, instead receiving instructions through handlers online.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
Mommy Pai’s, the latest venture from the masterminds behind Thai Diner and the late Uncle Boons, seems to follow this road map—on paper, at least.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Unlike high-cost advisors or one-size-fits-all masterminds, these tools offer flexibility to adapt as income changes and knowledge grows.
—Alejandra Rojas, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
The same studio that produced the Godzilla franchise, Toho, masterminds one of the most horrifying and disturbingly humorous psychedelic films to date.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterminds
Noun
-
Newsom has manifested this weird love-hate relationship with oil, craving it in the short-term to keep California running while vilifying its manufacturers as the architects of our climate change crisis.—
Tom Philp,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The neighborhood includes a wide variety of architectural styles — Moorish, Art Deco, Tudor-Revival, Modern — spanning decades and built by some of Detroit’s great architects, including Albert Kahn.—
Aaron Mondry,
Freep.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Big Tech now engineers a perpetual state of insecurity by creating relentless technological churn, rendering our skills and safety measures obsolete, only to then sell us the tools to catch up.—
Vivian Toh,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The study, conducted over several years, uses an approach that engineers artificial proteins (referred to as ion channels) in the brain that are activated by and bound to cocaine.—
Noah Lyons,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Thus begins a thorny relationship in which Jules plots vengeance, though their dynamic soon takes a fascinating turn.—
Ilana Gordon,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Dec. 2025
-
Bad Santa follows an alcoholic scammer named Willie (Thornton) who poses as a mall Santa and plots to rob the stores on Christmas Eve with his sidekick, Marcus (Tony Cox).—
Lydia Price,
PEOPLE,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Kara Bachman is the executive director of the Chicago Sports Commission, the body that hosted the welcome reception and which regularly negotiates to bring high-profile events to Chicago.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Rather than dictating rates to providers, Unity negotiates reimbursements tied to Medicare benchmarks.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Laura is able to shove Cherry hard enough to pry Daniel away from her and lock her in the room, but Cherry jumps out of the balcony, sacrificing her ankle, and maneuvers herself back into the house.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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In the next part of the scene, Gabriel maneuvers the plane into a roll, forcing Ethan, who is still clinging to the seatbelt, to slam into the side of the plane.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 Aug. 2025
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
-
Vecna psychically finds Hopper (David Harbour) and manipulates him to break the tank, cutting off the psychic link for her, Kali, and Max.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Organized Tours The most common option is booking an organized tour where the company arranges your transportation.—
Staff Author,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Jan. 2026
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That changes in episode 6, when Nate (Colm Feore) arranges a meeting between Rebecca and M-Tex’s resident geologist.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
21 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Masterminds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterminds. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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