Machinations
/ˌmækɪˈneɪʃənz/
nounpluralC2plural
Definition
Machinations mean secret plans or actions, often done to trick others or get an unfair advantage. These plans are usually complicated and not honest. People use this word when talking about people working behind the scenes to cause trouble or to control a situation.
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See It in Action
Secret and clever plans for dishonest or bad purposes
- •The politician was accused of machinations to win the election unfairly.
- •The villain’s machinations were finally discovered by the hero.
- •They worked in the shadows, using machinations to control the company.
Complicated schemes or plots
- •The story showed the machinations behind the royal court’s decisions.
- •His rise to power was full of political machinations.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "machinations" like "plans," but secret and often bad or tricky plans—not simple or open ones
- ✓Picture someone quietly moving pieces on a chessboard, trying to win by surprise moves
- ✓It's the feeling when you suspect someone is trying to trick you or control things without telling you
- ✓Sounds like "mack-in-NAY-shuns" → imagine a group of people making a big machine (machine = mach-) that works secretly to move things in a hidden way
- ✓Think of stories where villains make secret plans to take power or win, like in fairy tales or movies
- ✓NOT like "plan" (which can be open and honest), "machinations" are secret and often dishonest
- ✓NOT like "accident" (something that happens by chance), machinations are carefully made by people
- ✓NOT like "strategy" (which can be fair and open), machinations usually mean trickery or bad intentions
Try Other Words
- •Schemes: secret plans, often bad or dishonest (Use when emphasizing secret and tricky plans)
- •Plots: secret plans, often in stories or politics (Use when talking about secret plans to harm or trick)
- •Intrigues: secret and complicated plans, often with power or politics (Use when the plans involve power games or politics)
- •Conspiracies: secret plans by groups to do something wrong (Use when many people work together secretly for bad purposes)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "machin-" (related to machine or device) + "-ation" (a noun suffix showing action or process) + plural "-s"
- •Etymology: From Latin "machinatio," meaning a clever or tricky device or plot
- •Historical development: Originally referred to mechanical devices or tricks, then evolved to mean secret or clever plans to deceive
- •Modern usage: Used mostly to describe secret, dishonest plans in politics, business, or stories
Reflect & Connect
•Can machinations ever be used for good purposes, or are they always bad? Why?
•How can knowing about machinations help you understand news or stories about politics or business?
Fill in the blanks
1.The politician’s machinations were hidden ___ the public eye to avoid criticism.
2.People often feel distrust when they hear about machinations because they involve ___ intentions.
3.Unlike simple plans, machinations usually involve ___ steps to trick others.
4.In stories, villains use machinations to ___ power or control.
5.Machinations often happen ___, without others knowing about them.
6.When someone uses machinations, they try to ___ the situation for their own benefit.
7.The discovery of machinations can cause ___ and loss of trust among people.