Machiavellian
11
9.9
- adjective
- /ˌmæk.i.əˈvɛl.i.ən/
- Formal
:
maquiavélico
- We use reasoning in a Machiavellian way quite often.
- Machiavellian prince
- Machiavellian politics
- Machiavellian character
So you can imagine appearing on a podcast with Machiavellian intent to sell something, for example.
- So you can imagine appearing on a podcast with Machiavellian intent to sell something, for example.
- You think I am blind to a no, a Machiavellian side of Jay Leno?
- Psychopathic, narcissistic, Machiavellian and sadistic, all one night stand people.
- And on one other point is Machiavellian, and on another point is psychopathic.
- They're manipulative, so psychopathic, Machiavellian, narcissistic.
- And there were some really almost Machiavellian style principles on how to deal with a little bit of kind of like political jiu jitsu type of thing, right?
Examples
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The court of Lilliput is peopled by petty Machiavellian schemers and technocrats.
Academic text (2016) -
"Lawyers often develop a kind of Machiavellian view of the world," says Elwork.
Academic text (1994) -
It's a certain Machiavellian realism about the nature of the world.
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It's an old Machiavellian axiom.
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So you can imagine appearing on a podcast with Machiavellian intent to sell something, for example.
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Augustine would have no trouble recognizing the Machiavellian city, for he too wrote of it.
Academic text (1996) -
Yet for all his cunning, Ligurio, too, does not quite fit the role of Machiavellian prince.
Academic text (1996) -
It's a Machiavellian conspiracy.
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But in perfectly modern and even Machiavellian terms, Nietzsche saw the origins as always harsh and brutal.
Academic text (1995) -
Many politicians today resort to Machiavellian tactics to gain power.
Synonyms
128
2.5
Likely to lie or cheat to get something for yourself
83
7.3
Trying to influence people to get personal advantage in an unfair way
51
6.4
Acting in a dishonest or tricky way to get what you want
43
5.1
Clever at getting things by tricking people
31
4.9
Being clever in a secret way to trick others
Being careful and practical in politics to avoid conflict
Acting in a secret, sly way to try to trick people
Antonyms
How Manipulative
Surface Forms
Morphology
Machiavellian = Machiavelli (semi-transparent) = Machiavelli + ian
The adjective is transparently formed from the name plus '-ian', but its evaluative meaning ('deceptive, unscrupulous') rests on cultural/literary association rather than a predictable semantic composition.
Etymology
Machiavellian comes from the Italian writer Machiavelli, whose book 'The Prince' says rulers may use trickery and lies to win and hold power. That's why Machiavellian describes actions that are 'clever, without morals, and dishonest' to reach a goal.