mastery

noun

mas·​tery ˈma-st(ə-)rē How to pronounce mastery (audio)
Synonyms of masterynext
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 of mastery

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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
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.
The Dutch city of Eindhoven was founded on the mastery of artificial light. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Both of Messi’s goals came from the legend’s mastery of creating chances out of nothing. — Amna Subhan, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026 The next coach, Chris Klieman, continued the mastery, going 7-0 in the series. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026 Dilraba Dilmurat plays the team’s star striker, while Lay Zhang serves as its kung fu mentor, helping the players combine martial arts mastery with soccer skills to overcome formidable opponents and setbacks on and off the field. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mastery

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of mastery was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing mastery

Browse Nearby Words

masterwort
mastery
mast-fed
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Cite this Entry

“Mastery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mastery. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mastery

noun
mas·​tery ˈmas-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce mastery (audio)
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
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