noun
Machiavelli
noun
1
A person who schemes and manipulates others cunningly and without moral scruple, in order to gain or hold power.
"Colleagues called him a real Machiavelli for how he outmanoeuvred every rival for the promotion."
How to Use Machiavelli
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsed as a common noun for someone who behaves like the historical Machiavelli — calculating, manipulative, and focused purely on gaining power.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a real Machiavelli
act like a Machiavelli
Word Forms
Machiavellis plural
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Colleagues called him a real _____ for how he outmanoeuvred every rival for the promotion.
Etymology
From Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the Italian political writer whose book The Prince argued that rulers may need to use ruthless, unscrupulous methods to gain and keep power.