adj
Machiavellian
mak-ee-uh-VEHL-ee-uhn
adj
1
Willing to use cunning, deception, or ruthless scheming to achieve power or goals, especially in politics.
"His Machiavellian tactics won him the promotion but cost him his colleagues' trust."
"The show is full of Machiavellian office politics."
How to Use Machiavellian
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes someone who schemes and manipulates without moral limits to get what they want.
Common mistake
Usually carries a negative, critical tone — it's rarely used as a compliment.
Common pairings
Machiavellian scheme
Machiavellian tactics
Machiavellian politician
Word Forms
more Machiavellian comparative, Machiavellians plural, most Machiavellian superlative
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His _____ tactics won him the promotion but cost him his colleagues' trust.
Etymology
From the name of Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the Italian writer whose book "The Prince" argued that rulers may need to use unethical methods to gain and keep power.