as in schemes
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
incredibly complicated machinations to assassinate the president that inevitably failed
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Recent Examples of machinations
Music industry machinations are mostly to blame; a higher supply of albums means more sales, which translates into chart performance and popularity and plain old checks to cash.
—
Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 1 Oct. 2025
Through Jesan’s machinations, it is finally revealed that the Queen Dowager and many court officials campaigned for the execution.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
The industry functions on a delicate infrastructure of intimidation, backbiting, and the occasional contract amid endless favors, yanking Aasmaan through its machinations like a rag doll in the wind.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 19 Sep. 2025
Changing that fact would require a significant shift in business approach (though Amazon and Apple already have some of these machinations in place, including some bundling discounts).
—John Cassillo, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Hugo kept his cool as his crew became increasingly ensnared in Solène’s machinations and managed to keep a respectable distance from the interpersonal drama of the boat.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
In Greenberg’s novel, Cherry and Hero are already secret lovers who conspire to thwart the menfolk’s machinations.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
The machinations violated the NBA’s salary cap rules.
—Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Montas’ trip to the IL simplifies some roster machinations for this year’s Mets, but losing him as even an option for 2026 or modest eat-most-of-the-money trade bait this winter would hurt.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 1 Oct. 2025
Through Jesan’s machinations, it is finally revealed that the Queen Dowager and many court officials campaigned for the execution.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
The industry functions on a delicate infrastructure of intimidation, backbiting, and the occasional contract amid endless favors, yanking Aasmaan through its machinations like a rag doll in the wind.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 19 Sep. 2025
Changing that fact would require a significant shift in business approach (though Amazon and Apple already have some of these machinations in place, including some bundling discounts).
—John Cassillo, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Hugo kept his cool as his crew became increasingly ensnared in Solène’s machinations and managed to keep a respectable distance from the interpersonal drama of the boat.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
In Greenberg’s novel, Cherry and Hero are already secret lovers who conspire to thwart the menfolk’s machinations.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
The machinations violated the NBA’s salary cap rules.
—Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Montas’ trip to the IL simplifies some roster machinations for this year’s Mets, but losing him as even an option for 2026 or modest eat-most-of-the-money trade bait this winter would hurt.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for machinations
Noun
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Reckless schemes like scaling up desalinated seawater transfers will only worsen the damage.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
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Basic offensive schemes and defensive principles.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Following a six-week trial last fall, CTJ and Si Oh Rhew were found guilty of two conspiracies and multiple counts of failure to file reports of currency transactions.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
1 Oct. 2025
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Federal prosecutors charged Cannon-Grant with three distinct conspiracies.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For all of Liverpool’s plots and schemes, there could be no plan for the fastest final goal in Champions League history, one scored by Paolo Maldini inside the first minute of the game.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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Those old-fashioned TV-show plots with a premeditated murder committed for some explicable reason, that’s really an anachronism.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While plundering a dungeon lair and stealing artifacts from a museum both have heist elements to them, Skullduggery looks into the other intrigues of adventures in urban environments.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Senior running back/defensive end Ishmaiah Elliott intrigues.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Machinations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/machinations. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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