masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈma-stər-ˌpēs 

1

: a work done with extraordinary skill

especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement

2

: a piece of work presented to a medieval guild as evidence of qualification for the rank of master

Synonyms of masterpiece

• classic
• masterwork

Examples of masterpiece in a Sentence

The painting was immediately recognized as a masterpiece.

Herman Melville's masterpiece was Moby-Dick.

Her study of apes is a masterpiece.

Recent Examples on the Web

Don’t miss these three masterpieces and be sure to reach out to an agent to see more. —Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026

Over the years, Banksy’s artwork has targeted and satirized British politics, American consumerism and gun ownership, classic art masterpieces, celebrity culture, war, global hunger, pollution, climate change and much more. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026

After 50 years, the universal themes that made Carrie a horror masterpiece are getting an update for a new generation. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026

Stalker, the last film Tarkovsky made before leaving the Soviet Union, is a masterpiece of slow cinema. —Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for masterpiece

• altarpiece
• centerpiece
• frontispiece
• mantelpiece
• pilates
• summarise
• syntheses
• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice
• cerise

Kids Definition

masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈmas-tər-ˌpēs 

: a work done with great skill

especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement