machinate
verb
mach·i·nate ˈma-kə-ˌnāt 
ˈma-shə-
ˈma-shə- machinated; machinating
intransitive verb
: to plan or plot especially to do harm
transitive verb
: to scheme or contrive to bring about : plot
machinator
ˈma-kə-ˌnā-tər
noun ˈma-shə-
Synonyms
- collude
- compass
- connive
- conspire
- contrive
- intrigue
- plot
- put up
- scheme
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a trio of courtiers who were discovered to be machinating against the queen the hackers machinated a way to steal credit numbers from the company's website
Recent Examples on the Web But Cleopatra, still machinating away in Alexandria, couldn’t handle the thought of Herod gaining any further traction in Antony’s affections. 
Anne Thériault, Longreads, 18 Dec. 2019 Now a new scheme described by ProPublica and The Wall Street Journal involves families seemingly machinating to get an unfair leg up in paying for a coveted seat at a university. Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 30 July 2019
Anne Thériault, Longreads, 18 Dec. 2019 Now a new scheme described by ProPublica and The Wall Street Journal involves families seemingly machinating to get an unfair leg up in paying for a coveted seat at a university. Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 30 July 2019 Word History
Etymology
Latin machinatus, past participle of machinari, from machina machine, contrivance
First Known Use
1537, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
machinates
verb
1
as in plots
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends a trio of courtiers who were discovered to be machinating against the queen Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- plots
- schemes
- plans
- colludes
- intrigues
- engineers
- conspires
- connives
- contrives
- designs
- cooks (up)
- counterplots
- puts up
- hatches
- brews
- compasses
- devises
- maps
- lays out
- shapes
- jockeys
- maneuvers
- manipulates
- concocts
- frames
2
as in negotiates
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care the hackers machinated a way to steal credit numbers from the company's Web site Synonyms & Similar Words
- negotiates
- engineers
- plots
- manipulates
- arranges
- maneuvers
- frames
- works out
- manages
- wangles
- finesses
- masterminds
- contrives
- hammers out
- concludes
- finagles
- schemes
- angles (for)
- concerts
- intrigues
- brews
- conducts
- hatches
- cooks (up)
- handles
- quarterbacks
- captains
- directs
- commands
- compasses
- concocts
- connives
- gerrymanders
- runs
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- gums (up)
- messes (up)
- blows
- fumbles
- butchers
- mangles
- mishandles
- botches
- bungles
- flubs
- bobbles
- louses up
- muffs