1
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
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2
as in conspiracy
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter
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3
as in plan
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective
a scheme to upgrade the city's mass transit system
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scheme
Greta Cross, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
For investors who can’t resist the allure of a beat-the-market scheme, our table offers, reluctantly, factor funds in a few different flavors.
—William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Daniel D'addario, Variety, 24 Mar. 2025
Othello sees Denzel star as the titular character, joined by Gyllenhaal as the scheming Iago and Molly Osborne as Othello's wife Desdemona.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scheme
Noun
In 2018, Billy McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison for engaging in several fraudulent schemes related to the first Fyre Festival.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
For investors who can’t resist the allure of a beat-the-market scheme, our table offers, reluctantly, factor funds in a few different flavors.
—William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
Washington, here, is the title character, a military general whose personnel choices have enraged Gyllenhaal’s scheming underling.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 24 Mar. 2025
Othello sees Denzel star as the titular character, joined by Gyllenhaal as the scheming Iago and Molly Osborne as Othello's wife Desdemona.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scheme
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scheme
Noun
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Frank This character doing all the heavy lifting to keep Rick’s ruse afloat and Sam Rockwell doing all the heavy lifting to keep this plot interesting: Thank you for your service, gentlemen.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2025
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This is, of course, a ruse to put Rick in the same room with Jim, who, according to his mother on her deathbed, killed his do-gooder dad.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Lori Vallow Daybell convicted of murder Vallow Daybell was charged in May 2021 with the murders of her children and conspiracy to commit the murder of Tammy Daybell.—
Miguel Torres,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
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Nearly two years after her initial sentencing in Idaho, Lori is now preparing for her trial in Arizona after being charged with one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 2019 death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Rouse and fellow community leaders hatched a plan to recreate a stagecoach station that had served the town in the late 1800s when the area was a stop on the line running between Leavenworth, Kansas and Pike’s Peak in Colorado.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2025
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However, this safe harbor provision would only be available if there were concrete plans to replace safety-critical and health-critical SIRS assets with remaining lives of less than three years, which would include roofs, plumbing, fire alarms and other safety equipment.—
Bruce Strom,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Less than a month into the job, Trump and the Japanese Prime Minister plotted their response to a North Korean missile launch in the open-air patio of Mar a Lago, photos of which ended up on Facebook.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Mar. 2025
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During his trial at the Constitutional Court last month, Han denied plotting martial law with Yoon.—
Gawon Bae,
CNN,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There, Carrie inherits the patent for his electromagnetic device and, to better understand it and him, connects with his collaborators, and enters the vortex of their conspiracies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2025
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While that sounds obscure, the team’s work is foundational for advanced technological research in areas like computer chip manufacturing and medical diagnostic devices.—
Alex Knapp,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Through countless films, TV series, Amblin events, awards campaigns and our public relations strategy—this is where Marvin came alive.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2025
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Trump is letting the promise of AI slip away In the middle of all this tariff chaos, Trump’s AI strategy remains unclear.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Special content, tips, and tricks: Free digital access to the vast recipe archives of Bon Appétit and Epicurious, plus an in-depth video filmed in the test kitchen of one recipe from each box.—
The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
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But back to the task at hand: One trick to schooling yourself while keeping things fun is taking a tour — or a few of them.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Power Of Brand Vulnerability Val Kilmer’s trajectory in the 2010s and 2020s serves as a compelling blueprint for legacy brands navigating reinvention in real time.—
Jeetendr Sehdev,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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The Heritage Foundation is widely known for creating Project 2025, a 900-page Christian nationalist blueprint for the federal government with aims of virtually eliminating LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights.—
James Factora,
Them.,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scheme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scheme. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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