masterminding

verb

present participle of mastermind
as in negotiating
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care he was charged with masterminding a plan to redecorate the suite of offices without seriously disrupting business operations

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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 masterminding Russian war bloggers responded to Fedorov’s dismissal with glee, noting his role in masterminding long-range drone strikes on oil facilities that have caused a fuel crisis and midrange attacks that disrupted military logistics. — ABC News, 21 July 2026 After a series of personal setbacks, Ingrid moves to Los Angeles to be closer to Taylor, masterminding their meeting and worming her way into her inner circle. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026 The siblings have been there for one another since day one—and Austin’s even been instrumental in masterminding some of his sister’s biggest moments. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 2 July 2026 Last year, both Karen Read, acquitted of killing her Boston cop boyfriend in June, and Sherri Papini, who served time for masterminding her own 2016 kidnapping in California, participated in documentaries about their cases. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 18 June 2026 Johnson was convicted of capital murder on March 19, 2003, for masterminding the 1999 shooting. — Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026 Then revive ancient accusations of Jews masterminding a political conspiracy and engaging in ritual murder and dismemberment. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026 Adán Fúnez, a former mayor of the city of Tocoa, was captured at his home on suspicion of masterminding the killing, after years of accusations by religious and environmental leaders. — Marlon González, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 Dior beauty experts will be masterminding the services. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterminding
  1. negotiating
  2. plotting
  3. arranging
  4. manipulating
Verb
  • Iran and Oman have been negotiating new shipping routes through the crucial Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively closed since the start of the conflict.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Under the proposal which Iran and Oman have been negotiating for several days, ships entering the strait would use the route closest to Iran, under Tehran's coordination, sources said.
    — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of negotiating
Verb
  • The Voyagers have been skirting this dismal fate for years now, with NASA engineers carefully monitoring each spacecraft’s power supplies and plotting out when to turn off individual instruments to keep the missions going as long as possible.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
  • While this reunion was happening, Juke was watching from a safe distance, plotting.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of plotting
Verb
  • Identifying a child, reconstructing documents and arranging a safe return can take months.
    — Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Travelers who know the region may be more comfortable arranging those details themselves.
    — Emma Capp, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of arranging
Verb
  • By manipulating network traffic, the attackers redirect guests to fake sign-in pages without first sending a phishing email or compromising the PC.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • What is your reaction to Drew being the one to rat you out about lying and manipulating Angela with your dead mother story?
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 July 2026
Definition of manipulating

Browse Nearby Words

masterminded
masterminding
masterminds
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Cite this Entry

“Masterminding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterminding. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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