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 and power plays that have dominated the film industry …

—Peter Bogdanovich

Synonyms of machination

• conspiracy
• scheme
• plot

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

Why, that’s more than enough time for all of that and more, including forgetting some of the most important plot points and character machinations of any sort of spectacle, even the major ones. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 18 Nov. 2025

There's no question that the game of chess offers a rich metaphor for the political machinations always at work. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Nov. 2025

Though the shutdown appears to be coming to an end, the recent political machinations and rhetoric are frustrating to SNAP recipient Brandi Demmings, 39, of Indianapolis. —Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 11 Nov. 2025

There was even a final machination aimed at rattling the Venezuelan president about the pilot’s true loyalties. —Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for machination

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation