Thesaurus results for MACHINATIONS

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 Should Wiggins opt into the final season on his contract, he then could be subbed in for Herro in the machinations of a Giannis deal. —

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026 Humankind doesn’t need to fully grasp the inner machinations. —

Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 Fortunately, the plot machinations demand that Tova sprain her ankle early in the film, which gives the otherwise ageless Field the excuse to limp or shuffle around in a walking boot. —

Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2026 Changing the way people move The machinations that go into trying to plan simultaneous transactions can be mind-boggling. —

Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 28 May 2026 Thanks to the machinations of In the City confessional filming, Lindsay was on a coach in front of a green screen, and Kyle was in the building. —

Brian Moylan, Vulture, 27 May 2026 Democrats have questioned whether Vance’s role would bring political machinations into decisions prosecutors and investigators make about what cases to pursue. —

Andrew Graham may 27, Sacbee.com, 27 May 2026 But the impression throughout is of a complex work of fiction distilled down to broad-strokes plot machinations, to the exclusion of meaningful character insight. —

David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026 Those intentions prove to be relatively short-lived, as personal tragedy and political machinations eventually drove both men down their familiar old paths. —

ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for machinations

Noun

Critics, however, have questioned the administration’s motives behind the new division given that fraud was already prosecuted by the agency’s Criminal Division, which last year announced the largest coordinated takedown of healthcare fraud schemes in Justice Department history.

— Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
With no one coming to save him, Santi learned to save himself — cheating cards, running schemes, talking his way into and out of everything.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 8 June 2026