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
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 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
-
Cheney is often revered as one of the most powerful vice presidents in United States history and is credited as one of the chief architects of the war in Iraq.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The firm collaborates with a talented roster of architects, builders, and artisans to ensure that the finished product meets its high standards.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
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
-
Douglass’s former North Star co-editor, Martin Delany, who had been admitted to Harvard Medical School but was forced out after white students complained, responded to Dred Scott — and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 — by writing a novel whose hero escapes bondage and plots an overthrow of slavery.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Jacob plots to seduce his employers and gain an advantage from their industry connections, but unwittingly walks into a trap.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
The Overlook Hotel is, yes, sinister and even demonic, taunting Jack Torrance with bizarre visions that Kubrick manipulates to create a mounting sense of dread.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
-
This created a tunable metasurface, a structured layer that manipulates how waves interact with the surface, allowing the coating to absorb radar signals across various frequencies.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Financial compatibility is a necessity, but a partner who arranges things and therefore shows effort is vital.—
Essence,
Essence,
8 Oct. 2025
-
An employee arranges a salad dressing display at an Amazon Fresh grocery store on December 12, 2024 in Federal Way, Washington.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Masterminds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterminds. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share