deus ex machina

[dey-uhs eks mah-kuh-nuh, dee-uhs eks mak-uh-nuh] / ˈdeɪ əs ɛks ˈmɑ kə nə, ˈdi əs ɛks ˈmæk ə nə /

NOUN

unconvincing character who resolves plot

Synonyms

WEAK

contrivance device divine intervention gimmick god in the machine happy coincidence

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For Apple, as for Jobs, the whole episode involved the kind of deus ex machina you could never get away with in fiction.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

The production, which was at the Park Avenue Armory earlier this season, has arrived at the St. James Theatre in the role of deus ex machina, rescuing Broadway from its hidebound habits.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2024

With truth under assault and accountability seemingly non-existent, a billion-dollar bullhorn sharing micro-targeted messages on multiple platforms may not be an ideal deus ex machina, but it is the one our info-siloed public square demands.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2024

“Perhaps the deus ex machina here is AI.”

From Seattle Times • Jun. 29, 2023

At least the texts, while not exactly a deus ex machina, reveal a stark truth: Kareem isn’t the one.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed