Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for Machiavellian
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, cousin Edmund, an aspiring clergyman, falls under the charms of Mary Crawford, written by Austen as a charming but immoral woman.
    Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Ladapo said the decision was not reached according to the data, but instead on his view that vaccine mandates are immoral and outside the scope of the government’s authority.
    Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Tracey recalls how her ruthless daughter sought revenge on her father, classmates and Laura.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In the epic Emperor Kisra (Kingsley) has a reputation for being utterly ruthless.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • According to the latest 2024 Transparency International report, the Americas average 42 out of 100 points on a scale where 100 is very transparent and zero is very corrupt.
    Sofía Benavides, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
  • With the help of Landy and Nicky Parsons, Bourne goes up against Vosen (David Strathairn), the corrupt director of Operation Blackbriar.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The same words apply to the title character at the film‘s center, the inscrutable and seemingly unscrupulous Hedda Gabler (a magnetic Tessa Thompson), here yanked firmly from the late 20th century setting of Henrik Ibsen’s iconic play into the ’50s, and not missing a single trick along the way.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Lawmakers in many states have changed the rules in recent decades to protect winners from being targeted by criminals and unscrupulous people asking for money.
    Safiyah Riddle, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In the past, that’s opened small businesses to frivolous lawsuits filed by unprincipled lawyers that file massive lawsuits and offer quick settlements.
    Erica Goldstein, Boston Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Rule by ‘ambitious, and unprincipled men’ Partisanship is the primary problem for the American republic, according to Washington.
    Robert A. Strong, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2025
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 18 Sep. 2025.

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