as in schemes
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
incredibly complicated machinations to assassinate the president that inevitably failed
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Recent Examples of machinations
With such broad big-brand experience, Mulier may be well equipped to navigate the machinations of Versace and the Prada Group.
—
Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
Preller indicated some of the machinations the Padres were considering throughout the winter are no longer on the table.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
What is clear, however, is machinations are under way across the league to offer up the best possible packages for the best possible player who has come to market in years.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2026
The only meaningful connection made over the course of the movie is the one between its actors, whose inability to salvage their material does more to braid them together than any of the machinations of Day’s script.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Lots of machinations to come on that front for Denver's coaching staff.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
Family connections ground the violent spy machinations of Made in Korea.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
But the memory of decades-long civil unrest, largely ended by a peace agreement signed in 2016, is still fresh enough to provide a real-life context for Teddy’s machinations.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026
Whereas the original echoed the devastation that Japan suffered and warned against future atomic tests, in Returns Godzilla is revived due to the machinations of the United States and the Soviet’s nuclear programs.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
Preller indicated some of the machinations the Padres were considering throughout the winter are no longer on the table.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
What is clear, however, is machinations are under way across the league to offer up the best possible packages for the best possible player who has come to market in years.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2026
The only meaningful connection made over the course of the movie is the one between its actors, whose inability to salvage their material does more to braid them together than any of the machinations of Day’s script.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Lots of machinations to come on that front for Denver's coaching staff.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
Family connections ground the violent spy machinations of Made in Korea.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
But the memory of decades-long civil unrest, largely ended by a peace agreement signed in 2016, is still fresh enough to provide a real-life context for Teddy’s machinations.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026
Whereas the original echoed the devastation that Japan suffered and warned against future atomic tests, in Returns Godzilla is revived due to the machinations of the United States and the Soviet’s nuclear programs.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for machinations
Noun
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While countries like Greece and New Zealand have opened more ways for people to obtain a golden visa, others have closed their schemes.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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Gary needs investment and development, but none of the three Bears schemes promise more than isolated cash machines.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Even if few of the wildest conspiracies found material support, his cultural imprint grew only larger.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
14 Feb. 2026
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Kennedy has made no bones about his misplaced skepticism of mRNA vaccines, pinging off the proliferating conspiracies around the COVID vaccines — incredible innovations that saved countless lives during one of the worst global catastrophes in recent memory.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That is, the hundreds of news clippings that substantiate her plots.—
Jon Wertheim,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
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Abu Assi was believed to have taken part in holding deceased hostages in captivity while directing terrorist plots against IDF troops.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Even when insulted or thwarted – by Spanish intrigues on the Florida frontier, by British seizures in the Caribbean, by pamphleteers accusing him of being a monarch in disguise – Washington’s tone remained measured.—
Maurizio Valsania,
The Conversation,
9 Jan. 2026
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At 63 herself, Foster intrigues as well.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Machinations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/machinations. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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