machination

noun

mach·​i·​na·​tion ˌma-kə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce machination (audio)
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 industryPeter Bogdanovich
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Thus the movie’s financial and martial machinations take place within a more elemental family drama: in order to win his daughter’s allegiance and affection, Zsa-zsa must pursue a mock-Shakespearean plot of fratricidal revenge. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2025 But her machinations also serve as an extreme example of complicity against which Pabst’s more subtly evolving behavior can be measured. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 6 May 2025 That stance has been questioned more regularly since Trump’s first election in 2016, after CNN devoted many hours of programming to examining the machinations of the Trump White House along with heated question-and-answer sessions with Trump officials. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 30 Apr. 2025 The staff went through machinations to minimize the appearance of Biden’s physical challenges, even enlisting director Steven Spielberg to coach Biden for his 2024 State of the Union address. Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for machination

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of machination was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Machination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/machination. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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