plan 1 of 2

plan

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plan contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of plan are design, plot, project, and scheme. While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

plans for a house

When is design a more appropriate choice than plan?

While in some cases nearly identical to plan, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

a design for a new dress

When could plot be used to replace plan?

While the synonyms plot and plan are close in meaning, plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

the plot of the play

When is it sensible to use project instead of plan?

In some situations, the words project and plan are roughly equivalent. However, project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

a project to develop the waterfront

Where would scheme be a reasonable alternative to plan?

The synonyms scheme and plan are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 plan
Noun
Here are tips on how to stay safe during a thunderstorm: To reduce the chance of being struck by lightning, when venturing outside, have a plan to get to a safer area. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2025 Blue-state Republicans negotiated a plan to lift the cap to $40,000 for married couples with incomes up to $500,000. Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 17 June 2025
Verb
This mission is targeting a 14-day stay with docking planned for Saturday at 5:15 a.m. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025 Israelis have stocked up not knowing what their government is planning and how this will unfold. Orly Halpern, Time, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for plan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plan
Noun
  • On TikTok, users say that the strategy can enhance mood, endurance, brain health, and more.
    Cathy Cassata, Health, 19 June 2025
  • The strategy has led to renovation of tennis grounds for several Masters 1000 events in Cincinnati, Madrid, Rome, Paris and Shanghai.
    Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • Israel is clear that its ultimate goal is to pound Iran into total submission to restore some semblance of the country’s prerevolutionary society.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 18 June 2025
  • The consortium’s goal is make Connecticut a premier hub for AI innovation.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • As those efforts continued, the Pentagon simultaneously prepared the operation.
    Rachel Scott, ABC News, 22 June 2025
  • Gifford announced her resignation from OHS last month as The Connecticut Mirror was preparing to publish a story demonstrating her involvement in the state’s audit of Helen Zervas, owner of Family Eye Care in Bristol, in the days before DSS officials cancelled the audit in 2020.
    Janhavi Munde, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • The Lighthouse intends to operate two separate campuses, one near Los Angeles and the other in Brooklyn.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 June 2025
  • Iran’s aircraft are now intended for ground support roles, and few are under any illusions that the air force can compete with Israel’s, the most advanced in the region with the latest U.S. technology, including F-35s.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 June 2025
Noun
  • Gone are the days of just blueprints, prototypes and calculations, as engineering now revolves around efficiency, speed and precision in a world where technology is rapidly changing.
    Srinivasa Rao Bittla, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • The Golden Knights provided a blueprint for how the network would work with various teams in their local markets, with the wider local reach on free TV and a partnership for streaming access.
    Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 12 June 2025
Noun
  • The unusually large influx of immigrants in detention meant a backlog was created at the office in Burlington, causing people arrested on an immigration violation to be held for days in a facility unequipped for the purpose, according to lawyers for the detainees.
    Ben Adler, USA Today, 14 June 2025
  • While these measures aim to increase efficiency and reduce unnecessary costs by eliminating administrative burdens, DEI may have served a crucial purpose in enhancing VA services to its underserved veteran communities.
    Cristina Johnson, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Verb
  • As women’s feet are built differently than men’s, lead designer Mahsa Aryan prioritized insights from female players when designing the shoe.
    Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 23 June 2025
  • Bottom sea mines are placed on the seabed and designed to detonate when a ship passes nearby.
    Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Yet Trump, whose administration had entered into talks with Iran aimed at reaching an agreement on the country's nuclear program, has backed the Israeli offensive and has openly contemplated joining the Israeli campaign through strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
    Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025
  • Then again, living in New York City, there aren't many opportunities to contemplate camel textures.
    Matt Dutile, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plan. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

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