PAST MASTER Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

past master

noun

Definition of past master

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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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 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 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 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

China has a tradition of paternalistic government regulations meant to pre-empt potential problems, said Yolanda Ma, an expert on AI governance.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
But experts agree that as long as the change is safe and age-appropriate, experimenting with personal style can be a healthy part of identity development.

— Liz Regalia, Parents, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of expert

Noun

Prominent conservative legal scholar Ilya Shapiro is listed as senior counsel.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
But jobs are really bundles of tasks, some more amenable to automation than others, according to Stanford professor Charles Jones, a leading scholar of how AI will affect growth.

— Matt Peterson,Kate Rooney, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of scholar

Noun

Lest things get predictable, Tasjan’s adept at letting the music battle with the lyrics in a way that hints at how any experience is far more complex than we are led to believe.

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2026
Tech pioneer adept at shifting gears Atom Power was co-founded in 2015 by Kouroussis and Ryan Kennedy as a UNC Charlotte incubator, a project that started at the college before spinning off its own company and moving to the Lake Norman area.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026

Definition of adept

Noun

Hoult’s Gilderoy Lockhart a notoriously vain, boastful and fame-obsessed wizard well versed in Memory Charms who is recruited by Dumbledore as Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
But then they’re interrupted by Wil Wheaton, who’s a wizard in this universe.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of wizard

Noun

Each band member was a virtuoso on his instrument, four guys creating something compelling on their own, but fitting together like a super-sonic Tetris puzzle.

— Jonathan Schwartz, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026
Jones eventually embraced a broad swath of influences ranging from the inimitable Stevie Wonder to prog-rock virtuoso Keith Emerson.

— Dave Gil De Rubio, Daily News, 14 July 2026

Definition of virtuoso

Noun

Art fairs, collectors’ homes, artists’ studios, galas… The film is a welcoming and entertaining dive amongst the 1% and explores the complicated relationship between artists and commerce.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Dyangani Ose, who is currently the artistic director of the second Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, is known for championing artists from Africa and its diaspora, as well as for her artistic vision and collaborative leadership style.

— News Desk, Artforum, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of artist

Noun

However, cooking show fans suspect that Meghan’s idea of becoming a Stewart successor might involve borrowing heavily from the guru.

— Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
The lifestyle guru said her transition from actress to royal to TV personality doesn’t track.

— Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of guru

Browse Nearby Words

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“Past master.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/past%20master. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of past master

noun

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