mastermind
verb (used with object)
to plan and direct (a usually complex project or activity), especially skillfully.
masterminds
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pluralof mastermind.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof mastermind (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
mastermindverb (used with object)to plan and direct (a usually complex project or activity), especially skillfully.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Of the 32 apprehended, only two were convicted, Al-Saadi said, and they were little more than foot soldiers to masterminds of the operation who had already escaped.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2026
The general assured them he distinguished between the masterminds behind the uprising and soldiers ordered to carry it out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026
The church had previous accused successive governments of failing to identify the masterminds behind the bombings.
From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026
The movie, which will be directed by Dune's Denis Villeneuve, is currently in development and being overseen by the studio after long-serving masterminds Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson stood down in February.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2025
At long intervals some masterminds appeared, looking upon each advance in practical science as a retro-gradation in the true utility.
From The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 4 by Edgar Allan Poe
