Machiavellian
Americanadjective
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of, like, or befitting Machiavelli.
-
being or acting in accordance with the principles of government analyzed in Machiavelli's The Prince, in which political expediency is placed above morality and the use of craft and deceit to maintain the authority and carry out the policies of a ruler is described.
-
characterized by subtle or unscrupulous cunning, deception, expediency, or dishonesty.
He resorted to Machiavellian tactics in order to get ahead.
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of Machiavellian
First recorded in 1560–70; Machiavelli + -an
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He has only given you that $1,000 as an opening gambit, and now he wants something from you, but he is too Machiavellian to ask for it outright.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026
“Some spouses use power in a Machiavellian way,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026
But when he breaks down his thought process, there is less Machiavellian evil and more faulty perceptions and problems with impulse control.
From Slate • Jul. 23, 2025
Lurie’s opponents underestimated his appeal, calling out his lack of political experience as a disqualifying factor when it came to leading an iconic American city known for its tangled bureaucracy and Machiavellian politics.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2024
Julie’s Bloody Machiavellian Intelligence Officer has been sent for so he can interview me.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
