Thesaurus results for SCHEME

Q: How does the noun 'scheme' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scheme are design , plan , plot , and project . While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest. // a scheme to defraud the government

Q: When would 'design' be a good substitute for 'scheme'?

While the synonyms design and scheme are close in meaning, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony. // a design for a new dress

Q: When is it sensible to use 'plan' instead of 'scheme'?

In some situations, the words plan and scheme are roughly equivalent. However, plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation. // plans for a house

Q: When is 'plot' a more appropriate choice than 'scheme'?

The synonyms plot and scheme are sometimes interchangeable, but plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions. // the plot of the play

Q: In what contexts can 'project' take the place of 'scheme'?

Although the words project and scheme have much in common, project often stresses imaginative scope and vision. // a project to develop the waterfront

scheme 1 of 2

noun

ˈskēm

Definition of scheme next

as in ruse

a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end an e-mail scheme to trick unwary Internet users into disclosing passwords and financial information

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in conspiracy

a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in plan

a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective a scheme to upgrade the city's mass transit system

Synonyms & Similar Words

scheme

2 of 2

verb

as in to plot

to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends the town inspector had schemed to overlook the contractor's code violations in exchange for a substantial bribe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun scheme contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scheme are design, plan, plot, and project. While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest.

a scheme to defraud the government

When would design be a good substitute for scheme?

While the synonyms design and scheme are close in meaning, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

a design for a new dress

When is it sensible to use plan instead of scheme?

In some situations, the words plan and scheme are roughly equivalent. However, plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

plans for a house

When is plot a more appropriate choice than scheme?

The synonyms plot and scheme are sometimes interchangeable, but plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

the plot of the play

In what contexts can project take the place of scheme?

Although the words project and scheme have much in common, project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

a project to develop the waterfront

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of scheme

Noun

The minimum amount in some of the lower-cost popular schemes starts at €250,000 (about $259,000) in Greece and Portugal, according to Astons. —

Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025 Bigger organizations tend to move more slowly and have more complex financing schemes, leaving most of their employees in the dark as to how many of them could be affected by the coming cuts. —

Isabelle Mayault, The Dial, 13 Feb. 2025

Verb

Kudos on firing the assistant coaches as scape goats for the humiliating mistake of letting Xavier Mckinney walk away into an All-Pro season and forcing them to scheme around an unreliable Banks. —

Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025 Meanwhile, Dougherty Valley hit timely shots and schemed Stokes into favorable one-on-one matchups. —

Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for scheme

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scheme

Noun

Matty, for her part, isn’t worried about getting in any real trouble if her ruse is uncovered.

— Noel Murray, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
But some of the writers fell for the alleged ruse, which eventually involved the literary agent from a company called PageTurner Press & Media asking for advance payments for services such as book insurance, hiring editors to help update the book or hiring publicists to promote it.

— Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025