masterful

adjective

mas·ter·ful ˈma-stər-fəl How to pronounce masterful (audio)

: inclined and usually competent to act as master

: suggestive of a domineering nature

: having or reflecting the power and skill of a master

masterfully

ˈma-stər-fə-lē How to pronounce masterful (audio)

adverb

masterfulness noun

Did you know?

Some commentators insist that masterful must only mean "domineering," reserving the "expert, skillful" sense for masterly. The distinction is a modern one. In earlier times, the terms were used interchangeably, with each having both the "domineering" and "expert" senses. The "domineering" sense of masterly fell into disuse around the 18th century, however, and in the 20th century the famous grammarian H. W. Fowler decided that masterful should be similarly limited to a single meaning. He summarily ruled that the "expert" definition of masterful was incorrect. Other usage writers followed his lead. But the "expert" meaning of masterful has continued to flourish in standard prose in spite of the disapproval, and, considering the sense's long history, it cannot really be called an error.

Example Sentences

His manner was masterful and abrupt. a masterful work of art He did a masterful job of staying out of trouble.

Recent Examples on the Web The cast tasked with it is masterful, from Keoghan's holy fool to Condon's long-suffering Siobhán, a nervy, sharp-witted woman stranded in a sea of petty grievances and grown adolescents.

Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 14 Sep. 2022 The way the audio design and tactile feedback work together is masterful.

Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2022 Indeed, the group was so dissatisfied with how things ended that the musicians got together one more time afterward to record a proper farewell — the elegiac, masterful album Abbey Road.

Andy Meek, BGR, 25 Apr. 2021 Clarinetist Anthony McGill was masterful throughout the performance.

Lukas Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2022 Morello was masterful as ever on guitar, his wailing shrieks and frenetic teeth-picking a show all of their own while Wilk and Commerford were the backbone of the steady but explosive sonic assault.

Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 10 July 2022 Tim was an extraordinary artist, who was masterful at storytelling and panel layouts and his compositions were second to none.

Wilson Chapman, Variety, 16 June 2022 Along Jimmy's serpentine path of transformation, the show also spun a morality tale around Bad's masterful fixer, Mike.

Dan Snierson, EW.com, 17 Aug. 2022 Airlines have become masterful at carving up the formerly one-size-fits-all cabin behind first class.

Dawn Gilbertson, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 See More

masterful

adjective

as in virtuoso

accomplished with trained ability a masterful performance of a difficult piece for the violin

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

virtuoso
skillful
deft
masterly
artful
expert
artistic
bravura
delicate
adroit
smooth
workmanlike
dexterous
practiced
dextrous
ingenious
adept
creative
clever
practised
cunning
neat
capable
facile
adequate
competent
fancy
able

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

artless
amateurish
amateur
crude
clumsy
unprofessional
ineffective
rude
awkward
incompetent
unskillful
ineffectual
inept
klutzy

as in authoritarian

fond of ordering people around a masterful coworker who liked to tell other people how to do their jobs

Synonyms & Similar Words

authoritarian
domineering
authoritative
arrogant
commanding
aggressive
proud
tyrannical
autocratic
imperious
dictatorial
despotic
overbearing
controlling
superior
tyrannous
bossy
autocratical
peremptory
magisterial
important
directorial
tyrannic
stern
dictating
regimental
imperial
haughty
supercilious
pretentious
disdainful
presumptuous
assertive
assumptive
arbitrary
fastuous
uppish
imperative
omnipotent
lofty
almighty
uppity
overweening
pompous
highfalutin
huffy
high-handed
presuming
high-hat
lordly
narcissistic
toplofty
high-and-mighty
hifalutin
vain
all-powerful
self-asserting
toploftical
self-assertive
conceited
firm

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humble
modest
unassuming
meek
amenable
obedient
docile
tractable
passive
indecisive
compliant
submissive
yielding
irresolute
acquiescent
resigned

as in arrogant

having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude a masterful businesswoman who didn't hesitate to step on a lot of people as she climbed the ladder of success

Synonyms & Similar Words

arrogant
superior
cavalier
dominant
important
domineering
dominating
bumptious
imperious
pompous
supercilious
haughty
pretentious
magisterial
assumptive
uppish
presumptuous
authoritarian
toplofty
proud
huffish
smug
uppity
presuming
sniffy
high-handed
peremptory
huffy
overweening
lordly
lofty
bombastic
high-hat
hifalutin
highfalutin
high-and-mighty
self-assertive
chesty
patronizing
impudent
saucy
toploftical
condescending
vainglorious
bossy
self-asserting
boastful
pontifical
swaggering
blusterous
pontificating
disdainful
uninhibited
stiff-necked
hubristic
narcissistic
cocky
vain
egocentric
bragging
snobbish
snooty
braggart
blustery
snobby
egotistic
egotistical
prideful
impertinent
complacent
conceited
self-affected
extroverted
brash
orgulous
self-pleased
egoistic
self-satisfied
self-flattering
self-complacent
braggy
egoistical
unreserved
immodest
self-applauding
self-conceited
forward
self-loving
self-centered
self-promoting
stuck-up
extraverted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humble
modest
unpretentious
subdued
lowly
timid
passive
unobtrusive
diffident
demure
unarrogant
bashful
unassuming
sheepish
shrinking
shy
introverted
deferential
unaggressive
compliant
mousy
meek
unassertive
submissive
quiet
yielding
acquiescent
overmodest
cringing
self-critical
retiring
self-doubting
reserved
cowering
mousey

as in skillful

having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor a president who was celebrated as a masterful communicator of his administration's policies

Synonyms & Similar Words

skillful
adept
skilled
proficient
expert
experienced
good
great
virtuoso
masterly
master
accomplished
practiced
talented
gifted
veteran
complete
consummate
crackerjack
educated
ace
deft
professed
capable
versed
compleat
crack
clever
adroit
competent
effective
practised
efficient
dexterous
trained
qualified
polished
slick
workmanlike
employable
handy
old
refined
sure-handed
dextrous
able
knowledgeable
taught
effectual
fitted
schooled
fit
tutored
all-round
well-rounded
habile
multiskilled
all-around
multitalented
long-term

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

incapable
inept
amateurish
unskilled
incompetent
inexpert
amateur
weak
inexperienced
unprofessional
artless
unskillful
unqualified
unable
crude
ineffective
unfitted
unseasoned
unfit
inefficient
ineffectual
new
rude
untutored
beginning
ignorant
untalented
untrained
raw
primitive
unschooled
inexperienced
jackleg
untaught
green
clumsy
unpolished
ungifted
rough
unseasoned
untried
awkward
talentless
ham-fisted
ham-handed
heavy-handed
untested
would-be

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of masterful are domineering, imperative, imperious, and peremptory. While all these words mean "tending to impose one's will on others," masterful implies a strong personality and ability to act authoritatively.

her masterful personality soon dominated the movement

The words domineering and masterful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, domineering suggests an overbearing or arbitrary manner and an obstinate determination to enforce one's will.

children controlled by domineering parents

While in some cases nearly identical to masterful, imperative implies peremptoriness arising more from the urgency of the situation than from an inherent will to dominate.

an imperative appeal for assistance

In some situations, the words imperious and masterful are roughly equivalent. However, imperious implies a commanding nature or manner and often suggests arrogant assurance.

an imperious executive used to getting his own way

Although the words peremptory and masterful have much in common, peremptory implies an abrupt dictatorial manner coupled with an unwillingness to brook disobedience or dissent.

given a peremptory dismissal

单词	masterful
释义	masterful adjective mas·ter·ful ˈma-stər-fəl 1 a : inclined and usually competent to act as master b : suggestive of a domineering nature 2 : having or reflecting the power and skill of a master masterfully ˈma-stər-fə-lē adverb masterfulness noun Did you know? Some commentators insist that masterful must only mean "domineering," reserving the "expert, skillful" sense for masterly. The distinction is a modern one. In earlier times, the terms were used interchangeably, with each having both the "domineering" and "expert" senses. The "domineering" sense of masterly fell into disuse around the 18th century, however, and in the 20th century the famous grammarian H. W. Fowler decided that masterful should be similarly limited to a single meaning. He summarily ruled that the "expert" definition of masterful was incorrect. Other usage writers followed his lead. But the "expert" meaning of masterful has continued to flourish in standard prose in spite of the disapproval, and, considering the sense's long history, it cannot really be called an error. Synonyms adroit artful bravura deft delicate dexterous dextrous expert masterly practiced practised skillful virtuoso workmanlike See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences His manner was masterful and abrupt. a masterful work of art He did a masterful job of staying out of trouble. Recent Examples on the Web The cast tasked with it is masterful, from Keoghan's holy fool to Condon's long-suffering Siobhán, a nervy, sharp-witted woman stranded in a sea of petty grievances and grown adolescents. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 14 Sep. 2022 The way the audio design and tactile feedback work together is masterful. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2022 Indeed, the group was so dissatisfied with how things ended that the musicians got together one more time afterward to record a proper farewell — the elegiac, masterful album Abbey Road. Andy Meek, BGR, 25 Apr. 2021 Clarinetist Anthony McGill was masterful throughout the performance. Lukas Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2022 Morello was masterful as ever on guitar, his wailing shrieks and frenetic teeth-picking a show all of their own while Wilk and Commerford were the backbone of the steady but explosive sonic assault. Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 10 July 2022 Tim was an extraordinary artist, who was masterful at storytelling and panel layouts and his compositions were second to none. Wilson Chapman, Variety, 16 June 2022 Along Jimmy's serpentine path of transformation, the show also spun a morality tale around Bad's masterful fixer, Mike. Dan Snierson, EW.com, 17 Aug. 2022 Airlines have become masterful at carving up the formerly one-size-fits-all cabin behind first class. Dawn Gilbertson, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 See More Word History First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Kids Definition masterful adjective mas·ter·ful ˈma-stər-fəl 1 : tending to take control : displaying authority 2 : having or showing great skill a masterful sailor masterful adjective 1 as in virtuoso accomplished with trained ability a masterful performance of a difficult piece for the violin Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance virtuoso skillful deft masterly artful expert artistic bravura delicate adroit smooth workmanlike dexterous practiced dextrous ingenious adept creative clever practised cunning neat capable facile adequate competent fancy able Antonyms & Near Antonyms artless amateurish amateur crude clumsy unprofessional ineffective rude awkward incompetent unskillful ineffectual inept klutzy See More 2 as in authoritarian fond of ordering people around a masterful coworker who liked to tell other people how to do their jobs Synonyms & Similar Words authoritarian domineering authoritative arrogant commanding aggressive proud tyrannical autocratic imperious dictatorial despotic overbearing controlling superior tyrannous bossy autocratical peremptory magisterial important directorial tyrannic stern dictating regimental imperial haughty supercilious pretentious disdainful presumptuous assertive assumptive arbitrary fastuous uppish imperative omnipotent lofty almighty uppity overweening pompous highfalutin huffy high-handed presuming high-hat lordly narcissistic toplofty high-and-mighty hifalutin vain all-powerful self-asserting toploftical self-assertive conceited firm Antonyms & Near Antonyms humble modest unassuming meek amenable obedient docile tractable passive indecisive compliant submissive yielding irresolute acquiescent resigned See More 3 as in arrogant having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude a masterful businesswoman who didn't hesitate to step on a lot of people as she climbed the ladder of success Synonyms & Similar Words arrogant superior cavalier dominant important domineering dominating bumptious imperious pompous supercilious haughty pretentious magisterial assumptive uppish presumptuous authoritarian toplofty proud huffish smug uppity presuming sniffy high-handed peremptory huffy overweening lordly lofty bombastic high-hat hifalutin highfalutin high-and-mighty self-assertive chesty patronizing impudent saucy toploftical condescending vainglorious bossy self-asserting boastful pontifical swaggering blusterous pontificating disdainful uninhibited stiff-necked hubristic narcissistic cocky vain egocentric bragging snobbish snooty braggart blustery snobby egotistic egotistical prideful impertinent complacent conceited self-affected extroverted brash orgulous self-pleased egoistic self-satisfied self-flattering self-complacent braggy egoistical unreserved immodest self-applauding self-conceited forward self-loving self-centered self-promoting stuck-up extraverted Antonyms & Near Antonyms humble modest unpretentious subdued lowly timid passive unobtrusive diffident demure unarrogant bashful unassuming sheepish shrinking shy introverted deferential unaggressive compliant mousy meek unassertive submissive quiet yielding acquiescent overmodest cringing self-critical retiring self-doubting reserved cowering mousey See More 4 as in skillful having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor a president who was celebrated as a masterful communicator of his administration's policies Synonyms & Similar Words skillful adept skilled proficient expert experienced good great virtuoso masterly master accomplished practiced talented gifted veteran complete consummate crackerjack educated ace deft professed capable versed compleat crack clever adroit competent effective practised efficient dexterous trained qualified polished slick workmanlike employable handy old refined sure-handed dextrous able knowledgeable taught effectual fitted schooled fit tutored all-round well-rounded habile multiskilled all-around multitalented long-term Antonyms & Near Antonyms incapable inept amateurish unskilled incompetent inexpert amateur weak inexperienced unprofessional artless unskillful unqualified unable crude ineffective unfitted unseasoned unfit inefficient ineffectual new rude untutored beginning ignorant untalented untrained raw primitive unschooled inexperienced jackleg untaught green clumsy unpolished ungifted rough unseasoned untried awkward talentless ham-fisted ham-handed heavy-handed untested would-be See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of masterful are domineering, imperative, imperious, and peremptory. While all these words mean "tending to impose one's will on others," masterful implies a strong personality and ability to act authoritatively. her masterful personality soon dominated the movement The words domineering and masterful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, domineering suggests an overbearing or arbitrary manner and an obstinate determination to enforce one's will. children controlled by domineering parents While in some cases nearly identical to masterful, imperative implies peremptoriness arising more from the urgency of the situation than from an inherent will to dominate. an imperative appeal for assistance In some situations, the words imperious and masterful are roughly equivalent. However, imperious implies a commanding nature or manner and often suggests arrogant assurance. an imperious executive used to getting his own way Although the words peremptory and masterful have much in common, peremptory implies an abrupt dictatorial manner coupled with an unwillingness to brook disobedience or dissent. given a peremptory dismissal
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masterful

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser