master 1 of 3

noun

ˈma-stər How to pronounce master (audio)
Definition of masternext
1
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field a master at chess

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2
as in winner
one that defeats an enemy or opponent little did the tennis pro know that his new student would someday become his master

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3
as in leader
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do I'm the master of this operation, and you'll do what I say

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master

2 of 3

adjective

1
as in main
coming before all others in importance thought of themselves as belonging to humanity's master race

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2
as in skilled
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor a master craftsman who makes fine wood furniture of his own designs

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master

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to defeat
to achieve a victory over finally mastered her longtime opponent at chess

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2
as in to learn
to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in I think I've mastered algebra at last

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of master
Noun
In another life, a life that was kind to black people, Atlas would’ve been a scientist or a king or a master craftsman. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 Her family had to come up with an extra $10,000 — on top of nearly $50,000 for her undergraduate studies at Louisiana Tech University — to fund the master’s degree. — Lauren Chan, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026
Adjective
The new board will comprise 11 master sommeliers, plus four non-master sommelier members. — Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, 12 Nov. 2020 The interior features high ceilings, custom millwork, and walnut floors and paneling, and the master suite has his-and-her baths and closets, a sitting area, and a balcony. — TheWeek, 27 June 2020
Verb
But for a novice, relying on AI before mastering the fundamentals creates a technical debt that leads to a lack of depth. — Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 2026 But the practical race in 2026 is won by mastering both contests at once with absolute capability and radical efficiency, closed excellence and open diffusion, the biggest reliable compute and the smartest use of it. — Mark Minevich, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for master
Recent Examples of Synonyms for master
  1. expert
  2. winner
  3. leader
  4. main
  5. skilled
  6. defeat
  7. learn
  8. scholar
Noun
  • These experts assign ratings after analyzing a company's financials and ability to consistently pay dividends while also seeking capital appreciation.
    — TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Leading the way in court There are dozens of cases across the country surrounding the legal status of prediction sites, and experts believe the matter will eventually be decided by the Supreme Court.
    — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of expert
Noun
  • Excelling with Reichard, paired with his punting upside as the former Ray Guy Award winner at Georgia, pushed him over the hump.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The winners of the competition received passes to attend the Worldcon and spent some time at the IEEE booth.
    — Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of winner
Noun
  • Palo Alto and fellow Club name CrowdStrike are the leaders in this platform shift.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Within days, midwives, mothers, community leaders and politicians held a rally at the YWCA in downtown Troy.
    — Noam Levey, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of leader
Adjective
  • The fourth-year pro with blazing speed had an impressive training camp and appeared to be one of the team’s main kick returners.
    — Josh Kendall, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Its main instrument, known as the Wide Field Instrument (WFI), will take extremely wide images of the universe, capturing ultra-high definition views across broad swaths of the sky.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • Medicare may cover up to 100 days of care in a skilled nursing facility following a qualifying hospital stay, according to KFF.
    — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Tennis phenom Naomi Osaka is known not just as one of the sport’s most skilled players, but as one of its most boundary-pushing style stars.
    — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of skilled
Verb
  • Taylor pitched a career-high 2 2/3 scoreless relief innings and was credited with the win as the Sox defeated the Twins 7-4 in front of 28,140.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The Senate Leadership Fund, a political committee controlled by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, has committed to spending $44 million in Georgia in hopes of defeating Ossoff.
    — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • Instead, local communities have learned how the law enforcement agencies themselves have been misusing the technology to, in some cases, stalk and harass their citizens.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Palace’s intention was to correct the mistakes made in January and learn from last season by establishing a squad capable of competing in the Europa League without impacting their Premier League form.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of learn
Noun
  • Margot has been absorbed with a new idea she’s discovered in her work and has even reached out to a scholar at NASA to discuss it.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As scholars now know, Capa’s early oeuvre encompassed works by both him and Taro.
    — Alissa Simon, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of scholar

Phrases Containing master

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massy
master
mastered
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Cite this Entry

“Master.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/master. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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