1
as in to plot
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
a trio of courtiers who were discovered to be machinating against the queen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
the hackers machinated a way to steal credit numbers from the company's Web site
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of machinate
But Cleopatra, still machinating away in Alexandria, couldn’t handle the thought of Herod gaining any further traction in Antony’s affections.
—
Anne Thériault, Longreads, 18 Dec. 2019
Now a new scheme described by ProPublica and The Wall Street Journal involves families seemingly machinating to get an unfair leg up in paying for a coveted seat at a university.
—Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 30 July 2019
Anne Thériault, Longreads, 18 Dec. 2019
Now a new scheme described by ProPublica and The Wall Street Journal involves families seemingly machinating to get an unfair leg up in paying for a coveted seat at a university.
—Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 30 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for machinate
Verb
-
The very next day, Fluker’s fellow gang members, one of whom was in prison at the time, began to text each other to plot revenge, according to the criminal complaint.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Read retrieved Hunter and brought her back to Sacramento where the pair plotted the near-fatal attack.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The coalition parties together hold only 66 of the lower house of parliament’s 150 seats, so Jetten will have to negotiate with opposition lawmakers to find support for every piece of legislation his government wants to pass.—
Mike Corder,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Centrist leaders in the United Kingdom, France and Germany resist spending a larger percentage of their strained budgets defending against a Russian threat that their far-right populist opponents might think can be easily negotiated away.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From new coaches to cap space to scheme changes, here’s a look at some of the main topics of Detroit’s media sessions from the NFL combine.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The action comes as a trial is approaching in a federal corruption case in which several former union executives — among them ousted International President Newton Jones — are charged with allegedly scheming to steal $20 million in union funds.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
One of the images – which was flagged during a CNN check as being potentially AI-manipulated – showed the girl, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and in her early teens, firing a sniper rifle.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Growers manipulate the growing conditions of the plants by regulating temperature, light and moisture.—
Dawn Pettinelli,
Hartford Courant,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Babysitting can also be arranged through the concierge for a fee.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Glass jars full of tea leaves are arranged around the Kochi Cafe room.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering what’s changing in how fashion is made, scaled or engineered from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Penegor is trying to engineer a turnaround for Papa Johns, focusing mainly on the menu.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Prosecutors with the First Judicial District Attorney's Office claim Heskett contrived a story that he had been attacked by a man near a trail in the state park.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Three minutes after Estevao had fluffed a huge opportunity to take the lead, Delap contrived to miss an even more inviting chance.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Machinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/machinate. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
