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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Recent Examples of masterminding
Among other things, Timerman was accused of masterminding a plot to establish a Jewish homeland in the remote Patagonia region of southern Argentina.
—
Juan Melamed, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is serving 20 years in prison for masterminding the scheme.
—Julie Carr Smyth The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
Western officials say Russia is masterminding a campaign of sabotage and disruption across Europe.
—ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Under South Korean law, masterminding an insurrection carries a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
They are accused en masse of masterminding a multi-billion-dollar ripoff of federal funds.
—Robert W. Laird, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Bowers had spent the past few years masterminding bombings at Mississippi’s Black churches and, more recently, synagogues as well.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 4 Feb. 2026
Rebellion is one of the gravest criminal charges in South Korea, with the independent counsel recently demanding the death penalty for Yoon, who was charged with masterminding a rebellion.
—CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
An earlier Times report noted that the home was built in 2003, with Sorrell Design masterminding the architecture.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
Juan Melamed, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is serving 20 years in prison for masterminding the scheme.
—Julie Carr Smyth The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
Western officials say Russia is masterminding a campaign of sabotage and disruption across Europe.
—ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Under South Korean law, masterminding an insurrection carries a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
They are accused en masse of masterminding a multi-billion-dollar ripoff of federal funds.
—Robert W. Laird, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Bowers had spent the past few years masterminding bombings at Mississippi’s Black churches and, more recently, synagogues as well.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 4 Feb. 2026
Rebellion is one of the gravest criminal charges in South Korea, with the independent counsel recently demanding the death penalty for Yoon, who was charged with masterminding a rebellion.
—CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
An earlier Times report noted that the home was built in 2003, with Sorrell Design masterminding the architecture.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterminding
Verb
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In countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, the push to develop local mineral value chains has taken the tone of negotiating higher equity stakes in mining projects for the government, accompanied by threats of seizures and hostile takeovers.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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That may be easier said than done while negotiating airports and trekking across new terrain.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After expressing sorrow for having put innocent people in danger by transporting weaponry and plotting to commit an act of violence in a public place, Allen’s letter lays out his list of targets.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
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But the show’s plotting and Niall’s exquisite complexity more than make up for Ruben’s relative flatness.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ballmer steadfastly denies arranging the deal between Aspiration and Leonard, who by all accounts performed no duties for Aspiration.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Just three weeks ago, Vancouver Police reported five incidents involving a man allegedly robbing people after arranging to meet with him, to sell the suspect Pokémon cards.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This can involve pretending to be an IT customer support and manipulating an employee at a target company into handing over internal access.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
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But even then, our team of artists got in there and just started manipulating things.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Masterminding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterminding. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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