How to pronounce machination
Say it like mak-uh-NAY-shun. Machination has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (NAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce machination. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mak
- uh
- NAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Machination pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- makGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- NAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of machination
American and British speakers say machination in essentially the same way: /ˌmækəˈneɪʃən/ in the US and /ˌmækəˈneɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: mak-uh-NAY-shun.
What does machination mean?
- A clever scheme or artful plot, usually crafted for evil purposes.
- The act of machinating or plotting.
Where does machination come from?
From Middle English machynacion, machynacyon, from Middle French machination and directly Latin māchinātiōnem, from māchinor (“devise, invent”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with machination
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of machination.
- information
- education
- situation
- association
- population
- station
- administration
- operation
- organization
- application
Questions about saying machination
How do you pronounce machination?
Say mak-uh-NAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌmækəˈneɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˌmækəˈneɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in machination?
Machination has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (NAY). Broken into parts: mak · uh · NAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say machination the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌmækəˈneɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˌmækəˈneɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.