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 … that have dominated the film industry

—Peter Bogdanovich

Synonyms

• conspiracy
• design
• intrigue
• plot
• scheme

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

The staff went through machinations to minimize the appearance of Biden’s physical challenges, even enlisting director Steven Spielberg to coach Biden for his 2024 State of the Union address. —Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025

But a full, public airing threatened to reveal the C.I.A.’s machinations and the F.B.I.’s incompetence. —Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 19 May 2025

But its success will depend entirely on follow-through — and worryingly, on the moods and machinations of the two men who lead these countries. —Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 13 May 2025

She's hauled into congressional hearings by her critics – including Bucky Barnes (Stan), former Winter Soldier and current congressman from Brooklyn – for human experimentation and other morally dubious machinations. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for machination

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation