masterful
adjective
Masterful vs. Masterly: Usage Guide
Some commentators insist that use of masterful should be limited to its early "domineering" sense in order to preserve a distinction between it and masterly. The distinction is a modern one, excogitated by a 20th century pundit in disregard of the history of the word. Both words developed in a parallel manner but the earlier sense of masterly, equivalent to the "domineering" sense of masterful, dropped out of use. Since masterly had but one sense, the pundit opined that it would be tidy if masterful were likewise limited to one sense and he forthwith condemned use of masterful to mean "having mastery" as an error. This later sense of masterful, which is slightly older than the sense of masterly intended to replace it, has continued in reputable use all along; it cannot rationally be called an error.
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Some commentators insist that masterful must only mean "domineering," reserving the "expert, skillful" sense for masterly. The distinction is a modern one. In earlier times, the terms were used interchangeably, with each having both the "domineering" and "expert" senses. The "domineering" sense of masterly fell into disuse around the 18th century, however, and in the 20th century the famous grammarian H. W. Fowler decided that masterful should be similarly limited to a single meaning. He summarily ruled that the "expert" definition of masterful was incorrect. Other usage writers followed his lead. But the "expert" meaning of masterful has continued to flourish in standard prose in spite of the disapproval, and, considering the sense's long history, it cannot really be called an error.
Examples of masterful in a Sentence
Amy Astley, Architectural Digest, 25 June 2025
Gill goes on to justify this support with a masterful century in front of a sell-out crowd on day one.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 22 June 2025
The lush Twilight Hours, arguably the strongest individual album in the set, is a masterful work of strings, crooning and gorgeous arrangements.
—Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
The wide-ranging performance of Day is revelatory; every inch of Charity’s joy and heartbreak is a masterful turn.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for masterful
Cite this Entry
“Masterful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masterful. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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masterful
adjective
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