as in classics
something (as a work of art) that is a great achievement and often its creator's greatest achievement
Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel are often considered to be his masterpieces
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Recent Examples of masterpieces
It was written by Efthimis Filippou, who co-wrote most of Yorgos Lanthimos’s craziest pictures, and some viewers will immediately be reminded of Dogtooth and The Lobster, which happen to be masterpieces.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Feb. 2026
The birthplace of the Renaissance, the city is home to masterpieces by Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci, among other artists of the period.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Two 'unique masterpieces' are built each year under what is known as Programme Solitaire.
—New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026
Barrymore, who's been wearing a lovely chestnut brown hair color for a while, invited hair-transformation king Chris Appleton to turn both her and Valerie Bertinelli's hair into silver masterpieces on the set of the Drew Barrymore Show.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 5 Feb. 2026
These handheld masterpieces may come with jagged edges and some discrepancy in hole size, but the flavor and texture are perfect every time.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Travelers who want a base with a bookish atmosphere, where renowned writers crafted masterpieces, and with plenty of cozy corners to dive into a good book, have some page-turning prospects, from London to San Diego’s Coronado Island.
—Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Steph is a lifelong painter who used to work on massive canvases (one of her pieces can be seen at the store), but now her masterpieces can be measured in millimeters.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
For the bans on Proust and other international writers only applied to translations, allowing those with sufficient linguistic ability to consume scandalous masterpieces from abroad in their original form.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Feb. 2026
The birthplace of the Renaissance, the city is home to masterpieces by Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci, among other artists of the period.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Two 'unique masterpieces' are built each year under what is known as Programme Solitaire.
—New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026
Barrymore, who's been wearing a lovely chestnut brown hair color for a while, invited hair-transformation king Chris Appleton to turn both her and Valerie Bertinelli's hair into silver masterpieces on the set of the Drew Barrymore Show.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 5 Feb. 2026
These handheld masterpieces may come with jagged edges and some discrepancy in hole size, but the flavor and texture are perfect every time.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Travelers who want a base with a bookish atmosphere, where renowned writers crafted masterpieces, and with plenty of cozy corners to dive into a good book, have some page-turning prospects, from London to San Diego’s Coronado Island.
—Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Steph is a lifelong painter who used to work on massive canvases (one of her pieces can be seen at the store), but now her masterpieces can be measured in millimeters.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
For the bans on Proust and other international writers only applied to translations, allowing those with sufficient linguistic ability to consume scandalous masterpieces from abroad in their original form.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterpieces
Noun
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Spring colors are cozy, familiar classics that feel rich and special but couldn’t be easier to achieve.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
14 Feb. 2026
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Inside, a long mahogany counter glows beneath warm gold walls, where bartenders move with precision through a selection of classics and inventive cocktails built on bold spirits and house infusions.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Burnett and Ross Buckley founded the chamber music collective here in 1994 and have since played chamber masterworks, commissioned new works and collaborated across genres.—
Beth Wood,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
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These two architectural masterworks are separated by two hours on the TGV, but the otherworldliness of La Tourette makes the trip interstellar.—
Vishaan Chakrabarti,
Air Mail,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Masterpieces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterpieces. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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