deus ex machina

Meaning

An unexpected, artificial, or improbable concept, character, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction to resolve a seemingly unsolvable conflict. It is often criticized by modern writers as a lazy way to end a story.

Examples

• The sudden arrival of the rescue helicopter felt like a cheap deus ex machina.

  The sudden arrival of the rescue helicopter felt like a cheap deus ex machina.

• Critics disliked the play's ending, calling the long-lost inheritance a classic deus ex machina.

  Critics disliked the play's ending, calling the long-lost inheritance a classic deus ex machina.

• To avoid a deus ex machina, a writer must carefully plant clues earlier in the narrative.

  To avoid a deus ex machina, a writer must carefully plant clues earlier in the narrative.

• The protagonist's sudden recovery from the incurable illness was a disappointing deus ex machina.

  The protagonist's sudden recovery from the incurable illness was a disappointing deus ex machina.

• In ancient Greek theater, a literal deus ex machina was used to lower a god onto the stage.

  In ancient Greek theater, a literal deus ex machina was used to lower a god onto the stage.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The movie ended with a deus of machina.

  ✓ The movie ended with a deus ex machina.

  This is a Latin phrase; 'ex' (meaning 'from' or 'out of') cannot be replaced with the English preposition 'of'.

• ✗ The writer used a deus ex machine to solve the plot hole.

  ✓ The writer used a deus ex machina to solve the plot hole.

  The correct Latin spelling is 'machina', not the English word 'machine'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The detective solving the entire mystery through a random dream felt like a total ___.

  💡 An improbable, sudden plot resolution.

  Show answer

  deus ex machina

• Good storytelling avoids relying on a ___ to rescue characters from impossible situations.

  💡 A Latin term for an artificial, unexpected resolution.

  Show answer

  deus ex machina