masterful

[ mas-ter-fuhl, mah-ster- ]
See synonyms for: masterfulmasterfully on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. dominating; self-willed; imperious.

  2. having or showing the qualities of a master; authoritative; powerful.

  1. showing mastery or skill; masterly: a masterful performance.

Origin of masterful

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; see origin at master, -ful

confusables note For masterful

At an earlier time, both masterful and masterly had two senses: “having a commanding or domineering nature or manner” and “possessing the skill of a master.” The earliest sense of masterly, “having a commanding nature,” has been obsolete since the 18th century. Masterful continues to be used in all varieties of speech and writing in both senses, despite the protests of some who prefer that masterful be restricted to the sense “dominating or imperious”: The envoy's masterful behavior irritated the citizens. Few painters have produced so many masterful (or masterly ) portraits.

Other words for masterful

Other words from masterful

  • mas·ter·ful·ly, adverb
  • mas·ter·ful·ness, noun
  • o·ver·mas·ter·ful, adjective
  • o·ver·mas·ter·ful·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·mas·ter·ful·ness, noun
  • un·mas·ter·ful, adjective
  • un·mas·ter·ful·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with masterful

  • masterful , masterly (see confusables note at the current entry)

Words Nearby masterful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use masterful in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for masterful

masterful

/ (ˈmɑːstəfʊl) /


adjective
  1. having or showing mastery

  2. fond of playing the master; imperious

  1. masterly

usage For masterful

The use of masterful to mean masterly as in a masterful performance, although common, is considered incorrect by many people

Derived forms of masterful

  • masterfully, adverb
  • masterfulness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012