MASTERMINDS Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

masterminds 1 of 2

noun

plural of mastermind

as in architects

a person who designs and guides a plan or undertaking the real mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme

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masterminds

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of mastermind

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

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Recent Examples of masterminds

Noun

One such comedic element comes into play during the heist itself, as two bank employees (David Arquette and Christine Taylor) struggle to make sense of the masterminds’ overcomplicated pre-written instructions. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026 Prosecutors alleged that Donna was one of the masterminds behind Markel’s murder, helping to fund the contract killing, which was estimated to cost even more than $100,000, according to court documents obtained by CNN. — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026 Among them is wartime Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, one of the masterminds behind the attack on Pearl Harbor. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026 Authorities were seeking both the assassins and masterminds of the crime, according to the president. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 Peer groups, masterminds, advisory relationships built around honest reporting—these create a form of social commitment that internal motivation alone does not sustain. — Skye Blanks, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Both Flores and new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley are defensive masterminds, so hopefully this will be a quite the chess match. — Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 There’s a lot of genius masterminds working on that right now for season two, and I have not been told one way or another. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2026 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are both masterminds in their own right for branding and marketing. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 4 July 2026

Verb

Those meetings included Bolton, Galliano and Anna Wintour, the Vogue editor who masterminds the Met Gala every year. — ABC News, 31 July 2026 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

As to her ability to direct a visual team that includes architects Karen Putman and Brian Covington, interior designer Mike Moser, and landscape designers Patricia Benner and Chris Cummings, the proof is in the pudding.

— Ingrid Schmidt, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
View gallery - 11 images The humble shipping container is little more than a basic metal box, but designers and architects never seem to run out of ideas for what to do with it.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of architects

Verb

When Gilla Band hit the road, their front-of-house guy drives, Fox also engineers, Kiely sells merch, and Faulkner runs tech.

— Laura Snapes, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026
Our enterprising Gravedigger, a true woman of science, engineers a lizard elixir and regenerates the finger into a long tentacle that eventually demands a body.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026

Definition of engineers

Verb

In the weeks that follow, Magnolia plans her daughter’s birthday, negotiates her relationship with her daughter’s father, and coördinates medical care for her aging parents, who are living in Haiti amid growing violence.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
As Lima negotiates the removal of those duties, China continues to outpace the United States in trade with Peru.

— Marco Aquino, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of negotiates

Verb

The 23-foot Winnebago EKKO moves awkwardly, changing direction every few seconds as Bernert carefully maneuvers it into position.

— Sarah Silbiger, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Crystal’s fluid staging, full of agile and vibrant design choices, smoothly maneuvers the action.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026

Definition of maneuvers

Verb

The series follows Mónica, a newly qualified lawyer who learns to defraud clients, manipulates her family to secure an inheritance, then betrays her mentor.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
In an interview with the Shade Room last year, Knight’s son, Shanga Hankerson, claimed McDowell pushed the singer into performing and manipulates her.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of manipulates

Verb

AmaWaterways arranges pre- and post-cruise stays of several nights in both cities with luxury accommodations, cultural exploration led by local experts, and transfers between hotel and ship.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
But that’s also more or less the premise of this supposedly final installment of the rebooted franchise, which arranges another multiplayer safari of joystick slapstick for the Rock, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan.

— A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026