Meaning & use
masterminds
Last updated
“masterminds” is a form of “mastermind”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Plans and organizes a complicated activity or crime.
Grammar: Takes an object: mastermind a plan or a crime.
Patterns
- mastermind something
- mastermind a plan
- mastermind an operation
- be accused of masterminding something
Police believe a former employee masterminded the theft.
She masterminded the campaign that brought the festival to our town.
The same group is thought to have masterminded several attacks.
nouncountable
A person who plans and directs a complicated activity or crime.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a mastermind' for one person and 'masterminds' for more than one.
Patterns
- the mastermind behind something
- the mastermind of something
- a criminal mastermind
The mastermind behind the scheme was arrested last week.
She is the mastermind of the company's new marketing plan.
Detectives are still looking for the masterminds of the robbery.
nouncountable
A very intelligent person who has excellent ideas or skills.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'a' or in the plural.
Patterns
- a real mastermind
- a mastermind at something
- one of the masterminds of something
He is a mastermind at solving difficult puzzles.
The team of masterminds designed the new space telescope.
Everyone called her a mastermind after she won the science prize.
Word forms
| third person singular | masterminds |
|---|---|
| past tense | masterminded |
| past participle | masterminded |
| -ing form | masterminding |
| plural | masterminds |
Common combinations
- the mastermind behind
- She was the mastermind behind the whole project.
- a criminal mastermind
- The film is about a criminal mastermind who plans perfect robberies.
- mastermind a plan
- They masterminded a plan to save the old library.
- mastermind an operation
- He masterminded the rescue operation from a small office.
- a real mastermind
- Our teacher is a real mastermind when it comes to grammar.
Synonyms and how they differ
- organizer
- More general and less dramatic; it does not suggest a clever or secret plan.
- planner
- Focuses on making plans, not on directing the whole activity.
- genius
- Describes very high intelligence, but not necessarily planning a crime or event.
- brain
- Informal; often used for the clever person in a group, not for a criminal leader.
Word family
- mastermind noun
- The singular form: one clever planner or organizer.
- masterminding noun
- The act of planning and organizing something complicated.
Commonly confused: masterminds or masterpiece? masterminds or minds?
masterminds vs masterpiece
A masterpiece is a great work of art; a mastermind is a person or the act of planning.
masterminds vs minds
Minds are thoughts or intelligence; masterminds adds the idea of controlling a plan.
Practice
The gang leader ______ the bank robbery from his prison cell.
Choose one answer.
The past tense 'masterminded' fits because the robbery happened in the past and the leader planned it. 'Mastermind' is the base form and would need a helper like 'did' or 'will'. 'Masterminding' needs a form of 'be' before it. 'Masterminds' is present tense and does not match the past-time story.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “masterminds”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.