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

Taken as a whole, the prequels are a shrewd exploration of how a democracy can be undermined from within into authoritarianism — that crafty Palpatine and his corrupting machinations! —Angelique Jackson, Variety, 11 May 2024

The investigation lays out a sordid entanglement involving romantic relationships, betrayal and political machinations unfolding in a quiet rural town where Célestin, one of the country’s most powerful lawmakers and a close collaborator of President Jovenel Moïse, also lived. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1