Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

deus ex machina

noun

/ˈdeɪəs ɛks ˈmɑːkɪnə/

Definition

A plot device that resolves a complex situation in a play or story through an unexpected intervention, often involving an artificial or improbable contrivance.

Examples

In the play, the sudden arrival of the long-lost brother acted as a deus ex machina, saving the protagonist from despair.
The film’s ending felt like a deus ex machina, with a character miraculously gaining a power that solved all problems.