scenario
noun
sce·nar·io
sə-ˈner-ē-ˌō 
US also and especially British -ˈnär-
plural scenarios
1
a
: an outline or synopsis of a play
especially
: a plot outline used by actors of the commedia dell'arte
b
: the libretto of an opera
2
a
b
3
: a sequence of events especially when imagined
especially
: an account or synopsis of a possible course of action or events
his scenario for a settlement envisages … reunification —
Selig Harrison
Selig Harrison Examples of scenario in a Sentence
A possible scenario would be that we move to the city.
The most likely scenario is that he goes back to school in the fall.
The best-case scenario would be for us to finish the work by tomorrow.
In the worst-case scenario, we would have to start the project all over again.
Recent Examples on the Web
The existential threat boards aren't seeing Here’s the scenario keeping forward-thinking directors awake: while your board debates whether to form an AI committee, a three-person startup with 100+ AI agents is systematically capturing your market share.
—Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
In the worst-case scenario, enough of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure could remain intact for Tehran to race to a bomb within days or weeks.
—Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
According to the scenario, by then AI systems could be using 1,000 times more compute than GPT‑4 and rapidly accelerating their own development by training other AIs.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 June 2025
Fortunately, in such a scenario, both developers and gamers benefit.
—William Jones, USA Today, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scenario
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Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
In the worst-case scenario, enough of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure could remain intact for Tehran to race to a bomb within days or weeks.
—Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
According to the scenario, by then AI systems could be using 1,000 times more compute than GPT‑4 and rapidly accelerating their own development by training other AIs.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 June 2025
Fortunately, in such a scenario, both developers and gamers benefit.
—William Jones, USA Today, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scenario
Cite this Entry
“Scenario.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scenario. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scenario
noun
sce·nar·io
sə-ˈnar-ē-ˌō
-ˈner-,
-ˈnär-
plural scenarios
1
a
: an outline of a play
b
: the text of an opera
2
3
: a sequence of events especially when imagined
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