machinations
/ˌmækɪˈneɪʃənz/
NOUN
1. Clever schemes or artful plots, usually crafted for evil purposes
Secret, carefully devised plans or schemes involving deception, manipulation, conspiracy, or intrigue, typically intended to achieve a dishonest, harmful, or selfish objective.
1.1. Conspiracy and secret plotting
Refers to secret plans or coordinated activities involving people who work together to undermine others, gain power, or accomplish dishonest objectives.
Synonyms
- conspiracies
- cabals
- collusions
- confederacies
- connivances
- complicities
- counterplots
- intrigues
- plots
- counter-conspiracies
Antonyms
- faithfulness
- honesty
Examples
- The political landscape was fraught with secret machinations as candidates vied for supremacy.
- Within the crime syndicate, the leader orchestrated elaborate machinations to control the underworld.
- The political machinations behind the leadership change remained hidden from the public.
Related Words
- conspirators
- treachery
- secret alliances
- deception
- subterfuge
- betrayal
- collusion
- intrigue
1.2. Deceptive schemes and manipulative tactics
Describes cunning or dishonest arrangements designed to trick, mislead, exploit, or manipulate people for personal or strategic advantage.
Synonyms
- artifices
- chicanery
- contrivances
- deceptions
- dodges
- double-dealing
- frame-ups
- gimmicks
- ploys
- ruses
- stratagems
- subterfuges
- trickeries
- tricks
- skullduggery
Antonyms
- honesty
- faithfulness
Examples
- The courtroom drama unfolded, exposing a web of legal machinations designed to manipulate the trial's outcome.
- The business executive used elaborate machinations to undermine a competing company.
- The entire arrangement was a clever machination designed to deceive unsuspecting investors.
Related Words
- duplicity
- fraud
- guile
- dishonesty
- deceit
- underhandedness
- manipulation
- sharp practice
1.3. Political and strategic maneuvering
Refers to calculated behind-the-scenes actions, strategies, and arrangements intended to gain influence, secure advantages, or outmaneuver competitors in political or organizational settings.
Synonyms
- designs
- maneuvers
- manipulations
- schemes
- strategies
- programs
- ground plans
- drafts
- systems
Examples
- As the war raged on, diplomats engaged in diplomatic machinations to secure advantageous alliances.
- In the corporate boardroom, executives engaged in subtle machinations to outmaneuver their competitors.
- The political machinations of rival factions eventually changed the balance of power.
Related Words
- political maneuvering
- power struggles
- realpolitik
- statecraft
- competition
- calculation
- tactics
- leadership
NOUN
2. The act or process of machinating or plotting
The activity or process of secretly devising, coordinating, or carrying out calculated plans, particularly those involving intrigue, manipulation, or deception.
2.1. Secret scheming and intrigue
Describes the ongoing activity of secretly planning, plotting, and coordinating actions to influence events or achieve an intended outcome, often through dishonest or indirect methods.
Synonyms
- intrigue
- plotting
- scheming
- manipulating
- conspiring
- colluding
- maneuvering
Antonyms
- honesty
- faithfulness
Examples
- The novel explores the machinations of powerful officials competing for control of the government.
- The company's internal machinations gradually became apparent during the investigation.
- Years of political machinations eventually led to the collapse of the ruling coalition.
Related Words
- connivance
- deception
- conspiracy
- subterfuge
- duplicity
- craftiness
- underhandedness
- strategizing