as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
a movie director who was widely regarded as the past master of suspense
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Recent Examples of past master
There is a certainty to her sentences that sets her alongside past masters (your William Trevors, your Anton Chekhovs) and a singular beauty to her observations.
—
Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
Coppola, a past master at directing actors, allows his performers – who include Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Aubrey Plaza, and Nathalie Emmanuel – to shamelessly ham it up.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep. 2024
And he is positioned as the chief foreign luminary at the festival’s anniversary tribute to past master Ozu Yasujiro.
—Mark Schilling, Variety, 23 Oct. 2023
The fact that the company is designing a standalone robotaxi speaks to its failures in executing past master plans.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2023
Does this past master of starting crazes see the Reddit phenomenon as a long-overdue democratization of the stock market, or a frenzy detached from the fundamentals of investing?
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2021
Wonder, a past master of love songs, makes a demand that tests the output of every contemporary pop singer and every jaded fan.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Nov. 2020
The locked-room mystery—not just a whodunnit but a how-done-it—pays homage to past masters such as John Dickson Carr and Gaston Leroux.
—The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
When the ensemble made its first national tour, playing Orchestra Hall in September 1992, Marsalis and friends were trying to show that America needed a world-class jazz orchestra that could honor past masters while forging future ones.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 16 Nov. 2019
Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
Coppola, a past master at directing actors, allows his performers – who include Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Aubrey Plaza, and Nathalie Emmanuel – to shamelessly ham it up.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep. 2024
And he is positioned as the chief foreign luminary at the festival’s anniversary tribute to past master Ozu Yasujiro.
—Mark Schilling, Variety, 23 Oct. 2023
The fact that the company is designing a standalone robotaxi speaks to its failures in executing past master plans.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2023
Does this past master of starting crazes see the Reddit phenomenon as a long-overdue democratization of the stock market, or a frenzy detached from the fundamentals of investing?
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2021
Wonder, a past master of love songs, makes a demand that tests the output of every contemporary pop singer and every jaded fan.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Nov. 2020
The locked-room mystery—not just a whodunnit but a how-done-it—pays homage to past masters such as John Dickson Carr and Gaston Leroux.
—The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
When the ensemble made its first national tour, playing Orchestra Hall in September 1992, Marsalis and friends were trying to show that America needed a world-class jazz orchestra that could honor past masters while forging future ones.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 16 Nov. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for past master
Noun
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But experts remain skeptical about Martínez’s theory of a burial connected to Taposiris Magna.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
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Since chimps are more like humans than cats or dogs, a unique blend of human and veterinary medicine was necessary to find the right surgical approach, experts said.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Newcomers include Manny Jacinto as Renato, the North Pole’s resident massage therapist and holistic healer; Dulcé Sloan as Janice, a North Pole post office clerk; and Danny Pudi as Chef Geoff, the master chef at the Fruitcake Factory.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Sep. 2025
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On the first day of Milan Fashion Week, LVMH Métiers d’Excellence and Thélios hosted the awards ceremony of the Maestri d’Eccellenza Prize craftsmanship competition, dedicated to Italian master artisans, revealing an all-female lineup of winners.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Eisgruber, who is a scholar of constitutional law, believes that Sullivan is the cornerstone of American free-speech law.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
-
And in that present, Fugazi’s drummer, a scholar of caste, and a border reporter are no longer distant figures.—
Javier Garcia del Moral
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
No one has lived on a distant planet, in the far future, or any place where dragons or wizards rule—so, kudos to anyone who can make such realms feel truly lived in.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
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The goal isn’t to turn you into a prompt‑writing wizard, but rather to give you the ability to ask the kinds of questions that cut through jargon and force clarity.—
Sarah Stockdale,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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An effective trustee is skilled in conflict resolution and adept at maintaining open communication while prioritizing the trust’s objectives.—
Royce Ramey,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Slot shares this staple of Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou’s attacking principles, with Porro adept at tucking inside to disrupt the opposition shape.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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His five collections and dozens of uncollected short stories also show a virtuoso at work and play.—
Jane Ciabattari
September 25,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
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Fast forward 20 years — and travel a couple hundred miles northeast — and readers meet Lottie Thomas, a 16-year-old piano virtuoso in New York with a lot on her mind.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Indian artist Subodh Gupta built a yurta from enamel pots and plates crafted by master ceramist Baxtiyor Nazirov.—
Dada Jovanovic,
ABC News,
28 Sep. 2025
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Though the area’s artist warehouses and businesses had to close, like the old-school Irish pub Maguire’s Hill 16, Kennedy said no residents were displaced by the project.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Speculation about OpenAI’s forthcoming AI-native hardware has been rampant since Jony Ive, the longtime Apple’s design guru, joined the company via an acquisition back in May.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 2025
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The lifestyle guru wore a polished olive green matching set complete with a chocolate brown handbag.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Past master.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/past%20master. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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