A control device for a machine tool comprises a control section controlling the relative rotation and feeding of a cutting tool and a material, performing cutting with vibration of the cutting tool relative to the material by combining a forward feed movement in the machining direction, and a return movement in the counter-machining direction. A return movement setting section sets a pulse-like signal including a command for moving a cutting tool in the machining direction and a command for the return movement. A forward feed setting section makes the cutting tool reach a change point by combining the movement in the machining direction on the basis of the return movement setting section and the forward feed movement. A pulse-like signal is formed in sine waveform with an inflection point, and a phase of the inflection point is set to a value different from a phase of the change point.