Machination
/ˌmækɪˈneɪʃən/
nounC1
Definition
Machination means a secret plan or action, usually made by people to do something bad or unfair. It often involves tricking others or causing problems quietly without being seen.
Was this helpful?
⚡ See It in Action
A secret plan to do something harmful or dishonest
- •The villain's machination was to steal the king's treasure without anyone noticing.
- •The company was accused of machination to block competitors unfairly.
- •They uncovered the machinations behind the political scandal.
(Less common) Any complicated plan or plot, not always bad
- •The story describes the machinations of court life in the old kingdom.
- •The novel explores the machinations of power and influence.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "machination" like a "plan" (A1), but a secret and often dishonest or tricky plan.
- ✓Picture people whispering in a dark room, making a plan nobody else knows about.
- ✓It's the feeling when you sense someone is planning something behind your back that might cause trouble.
- ✓Sounds like "mack-in-NAY-shun" → imagine a machine (machine = "mack") making a secret plan that works quietly and cleverly.
- ✓In stories, villains often use machinations to trick heroes and win without fighting openly.
- ✓NOT like "plan" (open and honest), machination is hidden and often bad.
- ✓NOT like "accident" (happens by chance), machination is carefully made by people.
- ✓NOT like "strategy" (which can be good or fair), machination usually has a bad or tricky meaning.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Scheme: secret and often dishonest plan (Use when the plan is smaller or less complex)
- •Conspiracy: secret plan by a group to do something harmful (Use when many people are involved)
- •Plot: secret plan, often in stories or crimes (Use for general secret plans)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "machin-" (from machine, meaning device or tool) + suffix "-ation" (meaning action or process)
- •Etymology: From Latin "machinatio," meaning a clever or crafty device or plot
- •Historical development: Originally meant a clever device or trick, later used for secret or dishonest plans
- •Modern usage: Usually means secret, clever plans to trick or harm, often in politics or stories
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can a machination ever be good or helpful, or is it always bad? Why?
•How do machinations affect trust between people or groups?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The politician's machination was designed to ___ his opponent without being noticed.
2.When people talk about machination, they often mean plans made in ___ to others.
3.Unlike an honest plan, a machination usually involves ___ or unfair actions.
4.In many stories, heroes must stop the villain's machination to ___ the day.
5.Machinations often happen ___, where no one outside the group can see them.
6.A machination is different from a simple plan because it usually has a ___ goal.
7.When a group works together in a machination, it can be called a ___ or conspiracy.