Machiavellian
/mak-ee-uh-VEL-ee-un/
कूटनीतिक (kootneetik) / छलपूर्ण (chhalpurn)
Meanings
- Cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous, especially in politics
- Using clever trickery to achieve goals
- Prioritizing expediency over morality
Example Sentences
- "The Machiavellian strategy of playing rival factions against each other worked perfectly."
- "Chanakya's Arthashastra is sometimes compared to Machiavellian political philosophy."
- "The corporate takeover was executed with Machiavellian precision and secrecy."
Etymology
From Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), Italian political philosopher whose work 'The Prince' (1513) advised rulers to use cunning and deceit when necessary. His ideas parallel Chanakya's Arthashastra from ancient India.