Master — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈma-stər/ mas·ter

Meaning & Definition of Master

Master (noun)

  1. a male teacher
  2. a person holding an academic degree higher than a bachelor's but lower than a doctor's; also, the degree itself
  3. a revered religious leader

Master (adjective)

  1. being or relating to a master
  2. having chief authority, dominant
  3. skilled, proficient

Master (verb)

  1. to become master of, overcome
  2. to become skilled or proficient in the use of
  3. to gain a thorough understanding of

Master (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field

    "a master at chess"

    similar: ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack, dab (chiefly British), dab hand (chiefly British), expert, fiend, geek, guru, hand, hotshot, maestro, maven, meister, past master, proficient, scholar, shark, sharp, virtuoso, whiz, wizard
    related: pro, professional, consultant, hired gun, specialist, addict, aficionado, buff, devotee, enthusiast, fan, craftsman, journeyman, all-rounder (British), jack-of-all-trades, Renaissance man, mistress
    opposite: amateur, inexpert, nonexpert
    near: apprentice, beginner, neophyte, novice, dabbler, dilettante, layman, nonprofessional

  2. one that defeats an enemy or opponent

    "little did the tennis pro know that his new student would someday become his master"

    similar: beater, conqueror, subduer, trimmer, vanquisher, victor, whipper, winner
    related: champ, champion, finalist, placer, dominator, overdog, ruler, subjugator, top dog
    opposite: loser
    near: punching bag, pushover, quitter, failure, flop, washout, underdog

  3. 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"

    similar: boss, boss man, captain, chief, foreman, head, headman, helmsman, honcho, jefe, kingpin, leader, taskmaster
    related: directress, mistress, administrator, commander, director, executive, general, governor, hierarch, higher-up, leadman, manager, overseer, principal, skipper, standard-bearer, steward, straw boss, superintendent, superior, supervisor, dominator, lord, overlord, potentate, ruler, sovereign, figurehead, baron, czar, king, magnate, mogul, president, prince, big cheese, big gun, bigwig, top dog, top gun, cohead, coleader, employer, gaffer (British), ganger (British), micromanager, subchief, subdirector
    near: dependent, inferior, junior, secondary, subject, subordinate, underling

Master (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. coming before all others in importance

    "thought of themselves as belonging to humanity's master race"

    similar: arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, number one, numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, prior, sovereign, supreme
    related: distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior, high-level, senior, top, important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant, incomparable, matchless, unequaled, unparalleled, unsurpassed, celebrated, famed, famous, renowned
    opposite: last, least
    near: inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary

  2. 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"

    similar: accomplished, ace, adept, compleat, complete, consummate, crack, crackerjack, educated, experienced, expert, good, great, masterful, masterly, practiced, professed, proficient, skilled, skillful, versed, veteran, virtuoso
    related: adroit, clever, deft, dexterous, handy, slick, sure-handed, gifted, talented, polished, refined, effective, effectual, efficient, workmanlike, able, capable, competent, employable, fit, fitted, habile, qualified, knowledgeable, schooled, taught, trained, tutored, all-around, well-rounded, long-term, old, multiskilled, multitalented
    opposite: amateur, amateurish, inexperienced, inexpert, jackleg, unprofessional, unseasoned, unskilled, unskillful
    near: incapable, incompetent, inept, unable, unfit, unfitted, unqualified, weak, artless, crude, rude, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficient, talentless, ungifted, untalented, ignorant, unschooled, untaught, untrained, untutored, beginning, green, inexperienced, new, raw, unseasoned, untested, untried, would-be, primitive, rough, unpolished, awkward, clumsy, ham-fisted, ham-handed, heavy-handed

Master (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to achieve a victory over

    "finally mastered her longtime opponent at chess"

    similar: beat, best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down (British), get, get around, lick, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, subdue, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst, get the better of, knock for a loop
    related: sweep, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke (slang), snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax (slang), whip, cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend
    opposite: lose (to)
    near: fall, give up, go down, go under, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

  2. to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in

    "I think I've mastered algebra at last"

    similar: get, learn, pick up, get the hang of
    related: apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, understand, absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in), imbibe, ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig up, discern, discover, examine, find out, hear, hit (on or upon), run down, scare up, search (for), see, track (down), tumble (to), unearth, major (in), study, memorize
    opposite: unlearn
    near: forget, misunderstand, miss, overlook, disregard, ignore, neglect

Related Entry: Master plan (noun)

Master plan is a different word from Master. The synonyms below are for master plan, not for master.

  1. a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective

    "my neighbor assured me that the wisdom of his master plan for his yard would be apparent once everything was finished"

    similar: arrangement, blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, plan, program, project, road map, scheme, strategy, system
    related: collusion, conspiracy, plot, contrivance, device, gambit, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick, counterplan, counterstrategy, means, tactic, technique, way, procedure, protocol, conception, idea, projet, proposal, specific(s), specification(s), aim, intent, intention, purpose, diagram, formula, layout, map, pattern, platform, policy, recipe, setup

Related Entry: Master of ceremonies (phrase)

Master of ceremonies is a different word from Master. The synonyms below are for master of ceremonies, not for master.

  1. a person who conducts a program of entertainment by making introductions and providing continuity

    "The master of ceremonies warmed up the audience before introducing the lineup of performances."

    similar: announcer, emcee, host, MC
    related: mistress of ceremonies, DJ, disc jockey, shock jock, veejay, VJ, huckster, pitchman, anchor, anchorman, anchorperson, anchorwoman, newscaster, CBer, ham, radioman

Related Entry: Master plans (noun)

Master plans is a different word from Master. The synonyms below are for master plans, not for master.

  1. a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective

    "my neighbor assured me that the wisdom of his master plan for his yard would be apparent once everything was finished"

    similar: arrangements, blueprints, designs, game plans, games, ground plans, plans, programs, projects, road maps, schemes, strategies, systems
    related: collusions, conspiracies, plots, contrivances, devices, gambits, maneuvers, ruses, stratagems, subterfuges, tricks, counterplans, counterstrategies, means, tactics, techniques, ways, procedures, protocols, conceptions, ideas, projets, proposals, specifications, specifics, aims, intentions, intents, purposes, diagrams, formulas, layouts, maps, patterns, platforms, policies, recipes, setups

Related Entry: Past master (noun)

Past master is a different word from Master. The synonyms below are for past master, not for master.

  1. a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field

    "a movie director who was widely regarded as the past master of suspense"

    similar: ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack, dab (chiefly British), dab hand (chiefly British), expert, fiend, geek, guru, hand, hotshot, maestro, master, maven, meister, proficient, scholar, shark, sharp, virtuoso, whiz, wizard
    related: pro, professional, consultant, hired gun, specialist, addict, aficionado, buff, devotee, enthusiast, fan, craftsman, journeyman, all-rounder (British), jack-of-all-trades, Renaissance man, mistress
    opposite: amateur, inexpert, nonexpert
    near: apprentice, beginner, neophyte, novice, dabbler, dilettante, layman, nonprofessional

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Master

The most common words with a similar meaning to Master:

Chiefly British: dab, dab hand
British: do down
ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack, expert, fiend, geek, guru, hand, hotshot, maestro, maven, meister, past master, proficient, scholar, shark, sharp, virtuoso, whiz, wizard, beater, conqueror, subduer, trimmer, vanquisher, victor, whipper, winner, boss, boss man, captain, chief, foreman, head, headman, helmsman

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Master

Words with the opposite meaning of Master:

amateur, inexpert, nonexpert, loser, last, least, amateurish, inexperienced, jackleg, unprofessional, unseasoned, unskilled, unskillful, lose (to), unlearn

Related Words for Master

pro, professional, consultant, hired gun, specialist, addict, aficionado, buff, devotee, enthusiast, fan, craftsman, journeyman, all-rounder, jack-of-all-trades, Renaissance man, mistress, champ, champion, finalist, placer, dominator, overdog, ruler, subjugator, top dog, directress, administrator, commander, director

Near Antonyms of Master

apprentice, beginner, neophyte, novice, dabbler, dilettante, layman, nonprofessional, punching bag, pushover, quitter, failure, flop, washout, underdog, dependent, inferior, junior, secondary, subject, subordinate, underling, inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial

Word Forms of Master

Inflections: masters, mastered, mastering

Derived words: mastership (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Master

Middle English, from Old English magister & Anglo-French meistre, both from Latin magister; akin to Latin magnus large much

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Master

Words & Phrases Containing Master

master-at-arms, master bedroom, master chief petty officer, master chief petty officer of the coast guard, master chief petty officer of the navy, master class, master gunnery sergeant

Frequently Asked Questions about Master

What does "Master" mean?

"Master" means a male teacher. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: a male teacher. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Master"?

Other words for "Master" include ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack and dab. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Master" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Master"?

There are 336 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Master". Common alternatives include ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack, dab, dab hand and expert.

What is the opposite of "Master"?

Antonyms of "Master" include amateur, inexpert, nonexpert, loser, last, least, amateurish and inexperienced. Near antonyms include apprentice, beginner, neophyte and novice.

How do you use "Master" in a sentence?

Examples of "Master" in a sentence: "a master at chess"; "little did the tennis pro know that his new student would someday become his master"; "I'm the master of this operation, and you'll do what I say".

Is "Master" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Master" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Master" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Master" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Master"?

"Master" is pronounced /ˈma-stər/ and divided into syllables as mas·ter.