Synonyms of masterminds

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• architects
• engineers
• leaders
• organizers
• designers
• originators
• makers
• builders
• pioneers
• managers
• developers
• producers
• commanders
• directors
• schemers
• handlers
• plotters
• inaugurators
• initiators
• planners
• formulators
• quarterbacks
• contrivers
• generators
• arrangers
• captains
• inspirers
• spawners
• hatchers
• instituters
• maneuverers
• machinators
• finaglers

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• engineers
• plots
• negotiates
• maneuvers
• manipulates
• arranges
• contrives
• manages
• schemes
• concludes
• frames
• finesses
• wangles
• intrigues
• machinates
• finagles
• works out
• concerts
• concocts
• hatches
• connives
• hammers out
• angles (for)
• brews
• conducts
• directs
• cooks (up)
• captains
• compasses
• handles
• commands
• quarterbacks
• runs
• gerrymanders

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• butchers
• messes (up)
• fumbles
• bungles
• blows
• botches
• flubs
• gums (up)
• bobbles
• mishandles
• muffs
• mangles
• louses up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of masterminds

Noun

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

The inflatable work includes a sound element created by Thomas Bangalter, one of the two masterminds of the French electronic-music duo Daft Punk, and had been scheduled to be on view from June 6 through June 28. — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 3 June 2026

The Bungalow Kitchen comes from masterminds Michael Mina and Brent Bolthouse. — Nora Heston Tarte, Mercury News, 18 May 2026

These are two elite teams led by masterminds on opposite sides of the ball in Kyle Shanahan and Mike Macdonald. — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 May 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