Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for Machiavellian
Adjective
  • Regardless of what transpired between the two cast members, on or off screen, Aspen was unfairly portrayed as an immoral character.
    Taylor Crumpton, Essence, 11 Apr. 2025
  • We are limited to enforcing the law, not policing immoral behavior.
    David Chiu, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • There is the ruthless spymaster Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) and his mysterious assistant Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau).
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • O’Neil had shown a more ruthless streak in dealing with Lemina, stripping the midfielder of the captaincy after those embarrassing post-match scenes at West Ham.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Taking away a tool that saves millions of Americans money to boost the tax prep industry's profits is another corrupt giveaway to Big Business.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
  • By the end of the finale episode, Kingpin has essentially taken control of the entire city and the Punisher is kidnapped by the corrupt police but Daredevil is assembling his own army to combat the tyrant.
    Skyler Trepel, People.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Before the arrest, some indignant residents took to social media to speculate about a possible motive — alleging without proof that unscrupulous developers or even the city itself may have orchestrated the acts.
    Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
  • This was meant to prevent unscrupulous spammers from being able to send unauthenticated email that could come complete with a nefarious payload.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The notorious Sackler family, opioid pushers responsible for countless cases of addiction and death, can’t seem to settle their legal problems without turning to some kind of unprincipled maneuver.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025
  • Objective voters who watched the recent documentary about Lev Parnas, once a Trump ally, should fear a redux of a Cabinet running the government for an angry, unhinged, unprincipled man.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Oct. 2024
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Machiavellian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Machiavellian. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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