machination
noun
mach·i·na·tion
ˌma-kə-ˈnā-shən 
ˌma-shə-
1
: an act of machinating
2
: a scheming or crafty action or artful design intended to accomplish some usually evil end
… backstage machinations and power plays that have dominated the film industry …—
Peter Bogdanovich
Peter BogdanovichExamples of machination in a Sentence
incredibly complicated machinations to assassinate the president that inevitably failed
Recent Examples on the Web
Elmosnino is an amusing villain, making his most self-serving machinations sound reasonable.
—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
To say that the delay of Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern is associated with these political machinations is hardly an insight.
—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The machinations with Wiggins’ extension should work toward getting the Heat below the luxury tax in 2027-28, and therefore preventing the triggering of the punitive repeater luxury tax.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
And yet, in spite of its Clark and Dearborn gambit and an hourlong finale that ties far too many bows on top of bows, Season 5 works because its artistic machinations are rooted in character over plot, and the characters are what matters.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for machination
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.
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
To say that the delay of Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern is associated with these political machinations is hardly an insight.
—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The machinations with Wiggins’ extension should work toward getting the Heat below the luxury tax in 2027-28, and therefore preventing the triggering of the punitive repeater luxury tax.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
And yet, in spite of its Clark and Dearborn gambit and an hourlong finale that ties far too many bows on top of bows, Season 5 works because its artistic machinations are rooted in character over plot, and the characters are what matters.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for machination
Cite this Entry
“Machination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/machination. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
