Machiavellian

Sometimes Mach·i·a·vel·i·an

[mak-ee-uh-vel-ee-uhn]

adjective

1. of, like, or befitting Machiavelli.

2. 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.

3. characterized by subtle or unscrupulous cunning, deception, expediency, or dishonesty.

   He resorted to Machiavellian tactics in order to get ahead.

noun

1. a follower of the principles analyzed or described in The Prince, especially with reference to techniques of political manipulation.

Machiavellian

/ ˌmækɪəˈvɛlɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the alleged political principles of Machiavelli; cunning, amoral, and opportunist

noun

1. a cunning, amoral, and opportunist person, esp a politician

Other Word Forms

• Machiavellianism noun
• Machiavelianism noun
• Machiavellianly adverb
• Machiavelianly adverb
• Machiavellist adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Machiavellian¹

First recorded in 1560–70; Machiavelli + -an

Example Sentences

She was also keenly aware that her Machiavellian husband was suddenly a foreign-policy expert without portfolio and, as such, was likely to get his idle self in trouble.

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"The more Machiavellian view of the Premier League is that the clubs at the top didn't want another City or Chelsea to arise. This is a way of creating a glass ceiling."

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Except from behind the windshield, where he views the world as teeming with schemers and brutes, acting on all manner of Machiavellian impulses.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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.

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“Football coaches tend to be Machiavellian in character, but Robinson was more like a country doctor healing the sick in exchange for fresh eggs.”

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