mastery

noun

mas·​tery ˈma-st(ə-)rē 

1

a

: the authority of a master : dominion

b

: the upper hand in a contest or competition : superiority, ascendancy

2

a

: possession or display of great skill or technique

b

: skill or knowledge that makes one master of a subject : command

Synonyms

• command
• IQ
• mastership
• proficiency

Examples of mastery in a Sentence

We were impressed by her mastery of the subject.

She achieved a complete mastery of French.

He struggled to gain mastery of his fears.

Recent Examples on the Web

On the flip side, if Woody Johnson was grading at home, Tannenbaum would have received an A+ for his mastery of Corporate Mumbo Jumbo. —Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 7 Dec. 2024

Ross’s mastery of the form extends beyond live events — he’s also hosted the Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle series for Comedy Central and pushed the boundaries of the genre with projects like Historical Roasts on Netflix. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024

The findings are described in a study published December 5 in the journal Scientific Reports and reveals that these prehistoric humans had a high degree of technical mastery. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 Dec. 2024

In the second quarter, Lillard showed off his mastery of pace and timing. —Brian Sampson, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English maistrie, from Anglo-French mestrie, maistrie, from meistre master

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing mastery

• self-mastery

Kids Definition

mastery

noun

mas·​tery ˈmas-t(ə-)rē 

plural masteries

1

: the position or authority of a master

2

: victory

3

: skill or knowledge that makes one master of something : command

a mastery of French