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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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

The extradition process can take months, depending on what challenges are brought, legal experts said.

— Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
That being said, real-estate experts say buyers may finally be gaining a bit more breathing room as the market holds steady.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 July 2026

Definition of expert

Noun

Neal received his master’s in computer science from Stanford in 2016, and less than a year later launched Curai.

— Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Mack has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the Catholic University of America and a doctorate in education from the University of Miami.

— Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026

Definition of master

Noun

Some scholars have pushed back against claims that Nyong’o’s casting is historically inaccurate, because Helen of Troy is a mythological figure and the ancient Greeks did not have a modern concept of race.

— Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Buddhist monks, pilgrims, and scholars became some of the earliest cultural ambassadors between the two regions.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 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

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
Just two weeks after Bob Dylan guitarist Doug Lancio vanished from the tour and was replaced by jazz virtuoso Julian Lage, Bob Britt — who has played guitar in Dylan’s band since 2019 — has apparently left the group as well.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026

Definition of virtuoso

Noun

The Spanish artist Guitarricadelafuente, known for his modern-meets-traditional folk sounds, made his television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

— Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026
Glover champions the artist's role in social commentary and advocates strongly for music education, viewing it as essential for comprehensive learning.

— Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of artist

Noun

Offensive guru Brian Daboll was pretty incompetent as the Giants’ coach and hit the bricks, and in walks Super Bowl winning coach John Harbaugh.

— Vic Tafur, New York Times, 17 July 2026
And travel guru Rick Steves reminded us that jet lag is not something that simply has a learning curve.

— Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2026

Definition of guru

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pastings

past master

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“Past master.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/past%20master. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of past master

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