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
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
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
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
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
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
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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Even if a patient doesn’t have the budget to meet their aesthetic treatment goals, an expert can at least guide them to best at-home skincare and practices.—
Dahvi Shira,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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Many lawmakers and industry experts around the country have also deemed EV mandates unworkable due to insufficient charging infrastructure.—
Albert R. Wynn,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Serendipitously, that car was owned by Disney master animator Ward Kimball, whom Gurr had met via a car enthusiast society, the Horseless Carriage Club.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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Select one platform and master it rather than spreading yourself too thin.—
Vicky Owens,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Møller had an initial career as a literary scholar, then spent many years as a politician, and is now back to writing.—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
21 Apr. 2025
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Wine scholars among us will recognize this as a mix of red and white grapes, with white allowed only in very small amounts.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Hashing things out with his tech wizard brother-in-law Maury (a shaggy Guy Pearce), Karsh wonders if ecological protesters or religious groups or competitors are upset with his global expansion plans, which include a lava field in Iceland.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
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Indeed, Wei advocates the CPA profession for not just math wizards, but anyone who aspires to lead a major corporation, citing a Fortune 500 study that found 38.5 percent of CEOs of the 500 had some kind of accounting background.—
Steel Rose, CPA,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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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
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The result is that just these English words, representing just this original document, make for a new and somewhat undiscovered book, even to Marxist adepts.—
Benjamin Kunkel,
Harpers Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Also on the bill: R&B powerhouse Ledisi; actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr.; and guitar virtuoso Orianthi; as well as previously announced performer, composer and bandleader Jon Batiste.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
23 Apr. 2025
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He’s earned international esteem as a bandleader and collaborator with other singular artists like Afro-Swiss harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret, Japanese piano star Hiromi, and Cuban reed great Paquito D’Rivera.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The original Fyre Fest promised music acts including Blink 182, Migos and other artists; celebrity model attendees, including the Hadid sisters and Emily Ratajkowski; luxury accommodations and fine food, with tickets ranging from $1,200 to over $100,000.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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Paint a retaining wall mural Unleash your inner artist with a retaining wall mural inspired by your backyard.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The lifestyle guru served an infamous five-month sentence for lying to federal investigators about a stock sale.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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That started a conversation with our lead tech and projection guru, Chapin Cutler, [co-founder] of Boston Light & Sound.—
Bill Desowitz,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Past master.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/past%20master. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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