1. plotting or scheming, especially to do something harmful or illegal
Usage: present participle of machinate; formal

Examples

• The rebels were machinating against the government.
• She suspected her colleagues of machinating to get her fired.
• The villain spent months machinating his revenge.
• They were caught machinating to steal company secrets.
• The political opponents were machinating behind closed doors.
• He was always machinating some new way to gain power.