plural machines
1
a
: a mechanically, electrically, or electronically operated device for performing a task
an espresso machine
The store sold treadmills and other exercise machines.
… manufactures machines for the processing and packaging of pharmaceuticals …—
Rosie Fitzmaurice
Rosie Fitzmaurice
b
: conveyance, vehicle
especially
: automobile
Throughout the auto industry, the move is toward bigger engines and seductive ad campaigns pitched at motorists who yearn for the thrill of driving a mean machine. —David Pauly et al.
David Pauly et al.
c
: a coin-operated device
a snack machine
d(1)
: an assemblage (see assemblage sense 1) of parts that transmit forces, motion, and energy one to another in a predetermined manner
(2)
: an instrument (such as a lever) designed to transmit or modify the application of power, force, or motion
e
: any of various apparatuses formerly used to produce stage effects
f
: computer
especially
: personal computer
You might think that your files are safe on your Mac and Windows machine. But hard drives are not perfect. Data can become corrupted, and it's easy to delete the wrong files by mistake. —Andrew Uh
Andrew Uh A firm-owned laptop is configured with the security software and applications the user needs to perform their job. Relocating the laptop to the home network preserves the security of the computer, making it safer to use than the typical home machine. —Sharon D. Nelson and John W. Simek
Sharon D. Nelson and John W. Simek 2
a
: someone or something that resembles a machine (as in being methodical, tireless, or consistently productive)
… a gifted publicist and quote machine …—John Lancaster
John LancasterDan Reeves's Falcons weren't given much of a chance against the Vikings, the top scoring machine of all time.—Paul Zimmerman
Paul Zimmerman
b(1)
: a combination of persons acting together for a common end along with the agencies they use
The Homefront tells the fascinating story of how America transformed itself in the years 1941-45 from a society mired in depression into a war machine more powerful than any the world had yet known.—Stanley Marcus
Stanley MarcusFrom the first months of the war, each nation's propaganda machine encouraged its citizens to lionize their aces—those pilots having five or more victories.—Howard G. Fisher
Howard G. FisherIf the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth …—Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
(2)
: a highly organized political group under the leadership of a boss (see boss entry 1 sense 2) or small group of individuals
a politician who challenged the local party machine
c
: a living organism or one of its functional systems
If fame means parading the inevitable ravages that time and excess wreak on the human machine, I'd just as soon do that in private.—Stanley Bing
Stanley Bing3
: a literary device or contrivance (such as a supernatural being or event) introduced for dramatic effect
4
a
archaic
: a constructed thing whether material or immaterial : structure
… those supporters and pillars, upon whom the frame and machine of the building was grounded …—John Stow and Anthony Munday
John Stow and Anthony Munday… with what beauty, art and contrivance, particular creatures are made, and how the several parts of this great machine are fitted to each other, and make a regular and uniform world …—William Sherlock
William Sherlock
b
archaic
: a military engine (such as a catapult)
machined; machining
: to process by or as if by machine
especially
: to reduce or finish by or as if by turning, shaping, planing, or milling by machine-operated tools
Synonyms
Examples of machine in a Sentence
Noun
Shovels are tools; bulldozers are machines.
Do you know how to operate this machine?
The machine is working properly.
He was bragging about his new machine.
The coach turned the team into a scoring machine.
My younger brother is an eating machine.
a politician who dared to challenge the local party machine
Their army is a well-oiled machine.
Verb
The parts of the engine have been precisely machined.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebNick Guy, wsj.com, 16 Sep. 2023
The panelists also recommended leaning on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and satellite observations to better look for—and explain—the objects.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 15 Sep. 2023
The rest of the Dunkin’ employees seemed less than thrilled to make the bev, though, which makes sense, now knowing that the machine gets clogged by the Munchkins.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2023
The theory is that with enough data machine learning, algorithms could be taught to understand whale clicks.
—Longreads, 15 Sep. 2023
The machines used to take wagers were flickering on and off Friday at properties throughout the chain.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2023
Getting the drain clear of debris will help improve your machine's efficiency and overall functionality, so don't even think about skipping this step.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2023
Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data.
—Real Estate Newswire, oregonlive, 4 Sep. 2023
Both machines are authentically Lamborghini—extroverted and loud and hyperbolic—but are aimed in different directions.
—Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 4 Sep. 2023
Umar Shakir, The Verge, 14 Sep. 2023
The plutonium is melted, machined, welded, and inspected.
—Time, 24 July 2023
Other weight savings are achieved by use of a slender-contour, 20-inch barrel along with aggressive spiral fluting of the bolt and machined flats and recesses in the sides of the action, which is pillar-bedded to the stock.
—Mike Dickerson, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023
Alabama technicians and machinists at what is now General Dynamics in Cullman machined the mirrors that catch the light Webb uses to show those wonders as far as 13 billion light years away.
—Lee Roop | Lroop@al.com, al, 12 July 2023
It’s packaged in a flawlessly machined and finished single chassis that doubles as audio art.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 18 June 2023
For a device of such complexity to have functioned, the parts would have needed to be incredibly well machined.
—Scientific American, 1 May 2022
Feel free to machine or hand wash it cold, and then hang it up to dry.
—Mia Huelsbeck, Peoplemag, 12 June 2023
The powders are mixed with a binder additive, formed into a shape, machined, and then fused together at high temperature forming a composite.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 26 May 2023
See More
Noun
This Specialty Coffee Association-certified, foolproof machine produces an excellent cup, every time—the single most important quality in any coffee maker.
—Nick Guy, wsj.com, 16 Sep. 2023
The panelists also recommended leaning on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and satellite observations to better look for—and explain—the objects.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 15 Sep. 2023
The rest of the Dunkin’ employees seemed less than thrilled to make the bev, though, which makes sense, now knowing that the machine gets clogged by the Munchkins.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2023
The theory is that with enough data machine learning, algorithms could be taught to understand whale clicks.
—Longreads, 15 Sep. 2023
The machines used to take wagers were flickering on and off Friday at properties throughout the chain.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2023
Getting the drain clear of debris will help improve your machine's efficiency and overall functionality, so don't even think about skipping this step.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2023
Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data.
—Real Estate Newswire, oregonlive, 4 Sep. 2023
Both machines are authentically Lamborghini—extroverted and loud and hyperbolic—but are aimed in different directions.
—Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 4 Sep. 2023
Verb
On a much larger scale, Tesla’s manufacturing breakthroughs are similar to how Apple switched to a unibody design for its laptops — where the full structure of the product comes from machining one aluminum slab and saves on assembly costs.
—Umar Shakir, The Verge, 14 Sep. 2023
The plutonium is melted, machined, welded, and inspected.
—Time, 24 July 2023
Other weight savings are achieved by use of a slender-contour, 20-inch barrel along with aggressive spiral fluting of the bolt and machined flats and recesses in the sides of the action, which is pillar-bedded to the stock.
—Mike Dickerson, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023
Alabama technicians and machinists at what is now General Dynamics in Cullman machined the mirrors that catch the light Webb uses to show those wonders as far as 13 billion light years away.
—Lee Roop | Lroop@al.com, al, 12 July 2023
It’s packaged in a flawlessly machined and finished single chassis that doubles as audio art.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 18 June 2023
For a device of such complexity to have functioned, the parts would have needed to be incredibly well machined.
—Scientific American, 1 May 2022
Feel free to machine or hand wash it cold, and then hang it up to dry.
—Mia Huelsbeck, Peoplemag, 12 June 2023
The powders are mixed with a binder additive, formed into a shape, machined, and then fused together at high temperature forming a composite.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 26 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'machine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle French, from Latin machina, from Greek mēchanē (Doric dialect machana), from mēchos means, expedient — more at may entry 1
Phrases Containing machine
Articles Related to machine
Dictionary Entries Near machine
Cite this Entry
“Machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/machine. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
machine
1 of 2 noun
ma·chine
mə-ˈshēn 
1
a
: vehicle sense 2
especially
: automobile entry 2
b
: a combination of parts that transmit forces, motion, and energy to do some desired work
a sewing machine
c
: an instrument (as a lever or pulley) designed to transmit or change slightly the application of power, force, or motion
2
: an organized group that controls a political party
machinelike
adjective
-ˌlīk
machine
2 of 2 verb
machined; machining
: to shape or finish by machine-operated tools
machinable
adjective
mə-ˈshē-nə-bəl
More from Merriam-Webster on machine
Nglish: Translation of machine for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of machine for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about machine
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share