machination

noun

mach·​i·​na·​tion ˌma-kə-ˈnā-shən 

ˌma-shə-

1

: an act of machinating

2

: a scheming or crafty action or artful design intended to accomplish some usually evil end

backstage machinations … that have dominated the film industry

—Peter Bogdanovich

Synonyms

• conspiracy
• design
• intrigue
• plot
• scheme

Choose the Right Synonym for machination

plot, intrigue, machination, conspiracy, cabal mean a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end.

plot implies careful foresight in planning a complex scheme.

an assassination plot

intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity.

backstairs intrigue

machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means.

the machinations of a party boss

conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery.

a conspiracy to fix prices

cabal typically applies to political intrigue involving persons of some eminence.

a cabal among powerful senators

Examples of machination in a Sentence

incredibly complicated machinations to assassinate the president that inevitably failed

Recent Examples on the Web

Occupying a realm between the trippy hothouse vibe of Blowup and the thriller machinations of De Palma, Coppola’s take is a sublime distillation. —Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024

Dao’s comic sensibilities and uncanny physical machinations play well against the foil that is Nelson, whose explosions carry a more reserved tone, but no less effective. —David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024

On royals; our ‘laboratories of democracy’; Chinese machinations; Jan. 6 and the police; the wondrous Carol Burnett; and more All Our Opinion in Your Inbox NR Daily is delivered right to you every afternoon. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 4 Apr. 2024

For all the hoopla of the trail, the sharpest reporters recognized that their job was less about relaying public events than helping an audience understand the machinations and dynamics that inform and drive them. —Kyle Paoletta, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024

Based on the John le Carré novel, Martin Ritt’s bleak spy thriller also features George Smiley (see No. 3 on this list), although the spymaster’s machinations here better exemplify just how cold-blooded someone in his position must be. —Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024

But while in New York City, Melania wasn’t happy to learn about the machinations of her stepdaughter, Ivanka Trump. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024

This is great for the sport, overriding all of Nick Saban’s concerns about the machinations in the underbelly that don’t interest fans. —Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024

His intimate familiarity with the court’s machinations came in sharp contrast to the tenant experience. —Mya Frazier, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1