machination

noun

mach·i·na·tion ˌma-kə-ˈnā-shən

ˌma-shə-

Synonyms of machination next

: an act of machinating

: a scheming or crafty action or artful design intended to accomplish some usually evil end

backstage machinations … that have dominated the film industry—

Peter Bogdanovich

Choose the Right Synonym for machination

plot, intrigue, machination, conspiracy, cabal mean a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end.

plot implies careful foresight in planning a complex scheme.

an assassination plot

intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity.

backstairs intrigue

machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means.

the machinations of a party boss

conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery.

a conspiracy to fix prices

cabal typically applies to political intrigue involving persons of some eminence.

a cabal among powerful senators

Examples of machination in a Sentence

incredibly complicated machinations to assassinate the president that inevitably failed

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

The decision fell to the House of Representatives, where a string of backroom machinations made John Quincy Adams president and distant runner-up Henry Clay the Secretary of State. —

Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024 Such muted machinations present a wonderful showcase for these actors, as well as Isabella Rossellini, as a head nun who becomes more central to the plot, and the relatively unknown Mexican actor Carlos Diehz, as a heretofore unknown cardinal named Vincent Benitez. —

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024 Even if Khamenei’s son doesn’t succeed him, the supreme leader’s machinations have effectively ensured the mantle will pass to another younger, radical cleric. —

Saeid Golkar, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024 The psychological machinations behind that choice are infinitely complex, but Moore’s inability and/or unwillingness to interrogate them leave us to guess at our own answers. —

David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for machination