machinations

noun

plural of machination
as in schemes
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends incredibly complicated machinations to assassinate the president that inevitably failed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 machinations Across two seasons packed with twisty machinations, Jung’s virtuous prosecutor Jang Geon-young attempted to pin down Hyun’s shamelessly corrupt — but effortlessly cool — intelligence officer Baek Ki-tae, only to be outfoxed at every turn. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026 That merger reduced the club’s holding in Barca Produccions and turned it into a subsidiary, though the year just past saw more share machinations. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 The sequel has none of the joy of the original, only the calculated machinations of studio executives and actors who won’t let their characters grow. — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 Understanding the machinations of the current administration and predicting its plans is too tall an order. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026 Hutton thoughtfully explores the gender dynamics of reproductive rights issues by making Val a not wholly unsympathetic middle-woman between the men in power and one of the women impacted by their machinations. — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026 The Heat are expected to carry only 14 players under standard contract at the start of their season, due to their position against the hard cap created by the machinations for the acquisition of Antetokounmpo. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026 Extrapolating from salacious and rumor-filled ancient sources, the novel offers an inside scoop into the machinations of the first Roman imperial family. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 Decades out of practice, Saxberger is assailed by writer’s block and confused by the machinations of a modern-day publishing industry that wants to turn his rediscovery into a branding exercise. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for machinations
  1. schemes
  2. conspiracies
  3. plots
  4. intrigues
Noun
  • Curious schemes, plus bad tackling, contributed to a unit that was poor against the pass, and worse against the run.
    — Mac Engel October 4, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Other schemes are more direct—like a new version of the Nigerian prince scam that uses celebrity deepfakes.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of schemes
Noun
  • In an interview with Elle, Reinhart addressed fan conspiracies about Bateman’s casting.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
  • As the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, Chris’ newfound bond with a pair of students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to send everyone’s trip sideways.
    — Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of conspiracies
Noun
  • Since Guadagnino’s first feature in 1999, The Protagonists, a mockumentary starring Tilda Swinton as a filmmaker re-creating a real-life murder in London, his work has encompassed a variety of plots, tones, and textures.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Accenture said implementation, over 25,000 supply chain workflows have been executed, and close to nearly 25,000 land plots have been monitored automatically.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of plots
Noun
  • The series has always moved at a deliberate pace, allowing the characters’ social battles and romantic intrigues to simmer.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Netflix announced a second melodrama last December, about the secrets and intrigues of an elite Rio de Janeiro family, created in partnership with Amaia Produções and Conspiração, with general direction by Mauro Mendonça Filho.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 25 May 2026
Definition of intrigues

Browse Nearby Words

machination
machinations
machinator
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Cite this Entry

“Machinations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/machinations. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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