as in intrigue
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Recent Examples of counterplot
Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 31 July 2019
There’s something comforting about the normalcy of plot and counterplot, action and intrigue.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2017
Noun
Bit by bit, the castle at Elsinore (broodingly rendered by scenic designer Lee Savage) turns into a stage for life-and-death plots and counterplots.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 31 July 2019
There’s something comforting about the normalcy of plot and counterplot, action and intrigue.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterplot
Noun
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Studio Gannett With its noisy buzz of titillating political intrigue, Washington, D.C., isn't known for sitting still and dishing up boring.—
Kathryn Streeter,
USA Today,
28 May 2025
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Adding another layer of intrigue, WWE Saturday Night's Main Event is internally slated for Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Atlanta.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
Verb
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Artillery missions had been plotted the night before.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2025
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The filmmaker puts aside the self-reflexive storytelling that has marked much of his work since he was first arrested in 2010, delivering a straightforward narrative that’s plotted like a good thriller but builds into a stark condemnation of abusive power.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
24 May 2025
Noun
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The staff went through machinations to minimize the appearance of Biden’s physical challenges, even enlisting director Steven Spielberg to coach Biden for his 2024 State of the Union address.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
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But a full, public airing threatened to reveal the C.I.A.’s machinations and the F.B.I.’s incompetence.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Alleged Years-Long Drugging and Theft Scheme Led to Killing of Super Bowl Reporter Adan Manzano On April 1, ABC News reported that a law enforcement source alleged that the pair had schemed via text message for years to drug and rob victims in multiple jurisdictions.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
6 May 2025
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Together, Henry and Lily navigate suffocating traditions, scheming relatives, and the long shadow cast by Henry’s estranged father.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 May 2025
Noun
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Remember when Russia was that pesky geopolitical force who’s own constant secrecy and subterfuge brought about the downfall of its imperial ambitions?—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
8 Mar. 2025
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But this subterfuge is perhaps the very substance of the paintings.—
Zoë Hopkins,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Navarro-Sanchez allegedly conspired with two co-defendants, Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 27, and Gustavo Castro-Medina, 28, both of Mexico.—
Cara Tabachnick,
CBS News,
16 May 2025
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How exactly will all these elements conspire to gore one of our heroes?—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Henley was indicted in March on federal charges of fraud, robbery, extortion and running a racketeering conspiracy.—
Colleen Shalby,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
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Related Stories Cannes 2025 Palme d’Or Contenders Ranked: Who Will Win the Top Prize? ‘The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ Wins Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes 2025 Honey is drawn into a conspiracy of sorts when a woman who reached out to her for help ends up dead at the bottom of a cliff.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
Verb
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The arguments in favor of this working seem rather contrived.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
21 May 2025
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Hayek’s laissez-faire styling wasn’t contrived, either.—
Rosa Rahimi,
CNN Money,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterplot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterplot. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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