mastermind

1 of 2

noun

mas·​ter·​mind ˈma-stər-ˌmīnd How to pronounce mastermind (audio)
ˌmas-tər-ˈ
: a person who supplies the directing or creative intelligence for a project

mastermind

2 of 2

verb

masterminded; masterminding; masterminds

transitive verb

: to be the mastermind of

Examples of mastermind in a Sentence

Noun the mastermind behind the terrorist plot the real mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme Verb They masterminded a unique solution to the problem. He masterminded the bank robbery.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The mastermind behind the promotion of biodiversity in our wineries was my sister Caterina, who at the end of 2002 immediately decided to convert La Raia to organic and biodynamic farming, anticipating by far what has become a big trend in the farming industry in the recent years. John Mariani, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Elegant, organic design meets a mastermind in marketing: The perfect balance. Sam Reed, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2024 Taylor Swift is a mastermind at working clues into her look ahead of a big reveal, but even the most dedicated Swifties didn't clock her latest hint. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 7 Feb. 2024 Ray turns out to be the mastermind behind it all: Her brother-in-law set Zyair up for murder as revenge for the artist sleeping with his wife. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Composer Joe Hisaishi is the mastermind behind every film Hayao Miyazaki has directed at Studio Ghibli. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024 Look no further than some of her most recent runway designs, as well as another one of her red lip icons (McGrath is the mastermind behind Taylor Swift’s most recent red lip era). Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2024 Known as an offensive mastermind, Spurrier led the Gators to six SEC titles in his 12 seasons, as well as the national championship in 1997. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2024 Only Real Madrid, whose president was the mastermind of the project, and Barcelona remained in favor of the Super League. Joseph Wilson and Samuel Petrequin, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2024
Verb
The Fox host Jesse Watters even flirted with the speculation, floating the idea that Swift’s success was a psyop masterminded by the Defense Department. James Poniewozik, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2024 Zaheer was a serious under-the-radar threat, ingratiating himself with everyone while secretly masterminding several big votes post-merge. Ben Rosenstock, TIME, 26 Feb. 2024 The seat-rattling nuclear weapon detonation masterminded by J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) evokes peak dread, but even seemingly mundane sequences demanded deep dives from King and his team. Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024 His Colts, featuring an elite offense and an opportunistic defense masterminded by coach Tony Dungy, won their first 13 games. Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2024 Following a plan masterminded by Yahya Sinwar, a Hamas leader born to a family forced out of Al-Majdal, Palestinian militants invaded Israel at nearly 30 points along the Gazan border. Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 7 Feb. 2024 The former hotel worker was found guilty of allegedly masterminding the murder of his boss. Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan. 2024 His astonishing popularity hinges on one critical issue: Since winning the presidency in 2019, Bukele has masterminded a sweeping crackdown on gangs and cartels that proliferated for years throughout El Salvador and through networks across the region. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2024 The campaign was masterminded by talents like director Greg Swales, artistic director of fashion Carine Roitfeld, and stars model Jasmine Tookes. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mastermind.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1872, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mastermind was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near mastermind

Cite this Entry

“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mastermind. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mastermind

noun
mas·​ter·​mind
ˈmas-tər-ˌmīnd,
ˌmas-tər-ˈmīnd
: a person who invents or directs a project
mastermind verb

More from Merriam-Webster on mastermind

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