mas·ter·mind
ˈma-stər-ˌmīnd 
ˌmas-tər-ˈ
: a person who supplies the directing or creative intelligence for a project
masterminded; masterminding; masterminds
: 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
ABC News, 9 May 2026
For dozens of Haitian Americans who attended the two-month trial in downtown Miami, the outcome was joyful — even though the voluminous evidence did not reveal the names of the mastermind behind the deadly plot or the assailant who fatally shot Moïse.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Howard Walker, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2026
O’Neill masterminded Nike’s pivot away from wholesale, a move that ended badly when retailers started carrying all of Nike’s competitors instead, and oversaw its women’s business, which never matched its men’s line.
—Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
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.
Noun
In March, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun called him the mastermind behind the riots that shook the city in 2019.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
For dozens of Haitian Americans who attended the two-month trial in downtown Miami, the outcome was joyful — even though the voluminous evidence did not reveal the names of the mastermind behind the deadly plot or the assailant who fatally shot Moïse.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Verb
The designer of the original P1’s exterior, Paul Howse, was called in to mastermind the complex makeover.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2026
O’Neill masterminded Nike’s pivot away from wholesale, a move that ended badly when retailers started carrying all of Nike’s competitors instead, and oversaw its women’s business, which never matched its men’s line.
—Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mastermind
Cite this Entry
“Mastermind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mastermind. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
