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

Family connections ground the violent spy machinations of Made in Korea. —Kayti Burt, Time, 14 Jan. 2026

But the memory of decades-long civil unrest, largely ended by a peace agreement signed in 2016, is still fresh enough to provide a real-life context for Teddy’s machinations. —Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026

Whereas the original echoed the devastation that Japan suffered and warned against future atomic tests, in Returns Godzilla is revived due to the machinations of the United States and the Soviet’s nuclear programs. —James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026

Trump, as is his want, is just doing the normal thing without the usual white niceties that come with imperialist machinations. —Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026

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