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.

This is sitcom-level stuff, and the film doesn’t try too hard to make its narrative machinations particularly novel or realistic. —

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025 While little has been publicly spoken about the suspension by either side, there have been a series of behind-the-scenes machinations, including the Heat briefly considering elevating the financial penalty of the suspension. —

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2025 Catch up quick: The dockworkers briefly went on strike last year before reaching a deal on pay that was pushed along by the Biden administration's behind-the-scenes machinations. —

Emily Peck, Axios, 2 Jan. 2025 There are a lot of machinations that are at work here. —

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for machination