as in expert
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
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Recent Examples of past master
There is a certainty to her sentences that sets her alongside past masters (your William Trevors, your Anton Chekhovs) and a singular beauty to her observations.
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Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
Coppola, a past master at directing actors, allows his performers – who include Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Aubrey Plaza, and Nathalie Emmanuel – to shamelessly ham it up.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep. 2024
And he is positioned as the chief foreign luminary at the festival’s anniversary tribute to past master Ozu Yasujiro.
—Mark Schilling, Variety, 23 Oct. 2023
The fact that the company is designing a standalone robotaxi speaks to its failures in executing past master plans.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2023
Wonder, a past master of love songs, makes a demand that tests the output of every contemporary pop singer and every jaded fan.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Nov. 2020
Does this past master of starting crazes see the Reddit phenomenon as a long-overdue democratization of the stock market, or a frenzy detached from the fundamentals of investing?
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2021
The locked-room mystery—not just a whodunnit but a how-done-it—pays homage to past masters such as John Dickson Carr and Gaston Leroux.
—The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
When the ensemble made its first national tour, playing Orchestra Hall in September 1992, Marsalis and friends were trying to show that America needed a world-class jazz orchestra that could honor past masters while forging future ones.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 16 Nov. 2019
Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
Coppola, a past master at directing actors, allows his performers – who include Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Aubrey Plaza, and Nathalie Emmanuel – to shamelessly ham it up.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep. 2024
And he is positioned as the chief foreign luminary at the festival’s anniversary tribute to past master Ozu Yasujiro.
—Mark Schilling, Variety, 23 Oct. 2023
The fact that the company is designing a standalone robotaxi speaks to its failures in executing past master plans.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2023
Wonder, a past master of love songs, makes a demand that tests the output of every contemporary pop singer and every jaded fan.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Nov. 2020
Does this past master of starting crazes see the Reddit phenomenon as a long-overdue democratization of the stock market, or a frenzy detached from the fundamentals of investing?
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2021
The locked-room mystery—not just a whodunnit but a how-done-it—pays homage to past masters such as John Dickson Carr and Gaston Leroux.
—The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
When the ensemble made its first national tour, playing Orchestra Hall in September 1992, Marsalis and friends were trying to show that America needed a world-class jazz orchestra that could honor past masters while forging future ones.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 16 Nov. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for past master
Noun
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Read more Workplace incivility spikes around elections, expert says at Newsweek event Presidential election causing office unrest?Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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Marketing experts point out that the cost of advertising on Instagram or Facebook is significantly higher, putting financial pressure on small businesses already operating on tight margins.Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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There’s no master list of the year’s on-screen chemistry; but if there were, the trio of Martindale, Diamantopoulos, and Cyr would absolutely deserve a spot.Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
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The company also leveled up its wine program by partnering with master sommelier Andrea Robinson.Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
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That year, Morgan’s son, J. Pierpont Morgan, Jr., or Jack, made his father’s library a public institution, easily accessible to scholars.Hilton Als, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
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But work and organization scholar Philip Hancock offers a different angle on the familiar image of the Santa Claus-for-hire: that of a worker in a temporary seasonal service job.Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Bastions can be anything from castles to wizard towers or even friendly local pubs.Rob Wieland, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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Essiedu’s attachment to the series echoes HBO’s previously laid out vision for the reimagining of the popular wizard adventure.Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Naomi Goggin Switch to island time—and expect transportation snafus Even with two planners, and a bride adept at project management, there was one logistical hurdle that was tough to cross: local transportation.Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Nov. 2024
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The libero is usually a defensive specialist adept at passing.Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 30 July 2024
Noun
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The whole thing was an exercise in virtuoso terraforming.Justin Davidson, Curbed, 3 July 2024
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Yet given his gifts (keyboard virtuoso, powerful soul voice, stellar dancer, able to craft a propulsive hook), why didn’t Billy Preston become a bigger star?Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Through her connection to Nashville, Wilson was invited to perform on the PBS special Patsy Cline: Walkin’ After Midnight featuring a variety of artists (Wynonna, Pat Benatar, Ashley McBryde, Kristin Chenoweth, and others) performing Patsy Cline songs at the historic Ryman Auditorium.Pam Windsor, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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Swift won in 10 categories: top Artist, top female artist, top Billboard 200 artist, top Hot 100 artist, Top 100 songwriter, top streaming songs artist, top radio songs artist, top Billboard Global 200 Artist, top Billboard Global (excl.Thania Garcia, Variety, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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As well as being a guru for young performers, John has restored the careers of older musicians who had lost faith in themselves.Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
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He has been billed as an offensive guru, but the Giants can’t score.Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near past master
Cite this Entry
“Past master.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/past%20master. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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