1
as in preparing
to work out the details of (something) in advance
we planned the school dance down to the smallest detail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in intending
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
I plan to have a party for my birthday, even if I have to throw it myself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of planning
Your interest in planning the thoughtful details that would transform your home into a stylish, orderly oasis is true.
—
Talia Argondezzi, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
In reality, Roper was planning to return to England, where his other son, Danny (Noah Jupe), has been sequestered at a boarding school.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Wasserman and other top officials with LA 2028, which is in charge of paying for and planning the Games, are in Italy for meetings ahead of the Winter Olympics.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Volunteering For One High-Visibility Initiative When the year begins, many teams are planning major initiatives, strategic meetings or kickoffs for important projects.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for planning
Talia Argondezzi, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
In reality, Roper was planning to return to England, where his other son, Danny (Noah Jupe), has been sequestered at a boarding school.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Wasserman and other top officials with LA 2028, which is in charge of paying for and planning the Games, are in Italy for meetings ahead of the Winter Olympics.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Volunteering For One High-Visibility Initiative When the year begins, many teams are planning major initiatives, strategic meetings or kickoffs for important projects.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for planning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for planning
Verb
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Levy Restaurants was reportedly only preparing 200 for Sunday’s game day.—
Jayna Bardahl,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The agency is preparing to send four astronauts back to the Moon this March on a high-stakes, ten-day mission to the far side.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Without intending, even as the Vietnam War lingered on and the national mood was grim, halftime became classic Americana, a telling mixture of self-parody and pride.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
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Instead, the Bucks are intending to see if a future can be crafted in Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo going forward, or else resume trade negotiations either closer to June’s NBA draft or during the next salary-cap calendar that opens July 1.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As more people prioritize long-term health and wellness, interior designers are seeing a surge in requests for designing separate sleep spaces.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
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Since so much work has already been completed, architects have been tasked with designing the best and least wasteful way of using the infrastructure that's already built.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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OpenAI may be contemplating an IPO before the end of the year in part to get out in the public market ahead of its rival Anthropic, according to the Journal’s reporting.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
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Lately, she’s been reading up on the licensing rules in other states and contemplating a move after her husband finishes school.—
Natalie Yahr,
jsonline.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And now the daughters and granddaughters of the Ladies Aid and League of Catholic Women’s groups are organizing food, shelter, and finances against stone-cold invaders.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California has been organizing the Tết Festival for more than 40 years.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Michael Hicks weighs in on how a copy‑paste bill has lawmakers going after degrees Indiana doesn’t even offer in his latest op-ed.—
Kurtcia Collazo,
IndyStar,
9 Feb. 2026
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At one point, NBC’s color commentator Cris Collinsworth openly wondered how many yards Walker had picked up after going backward.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors claim Sainz Salazar served as a key fentanyl producer for the Chapitos from about 2022 through 2025, helping manufacture millions of pills, arranging drug transactions under armed protection and operating labs that later became central to the group’s fentanyl production.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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At the club, Davenport liked to station himself near the first tee, talking to members, arranging their golf games and remembering who golfers liked (and didn’t like) to play with.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In 7th place on iSpot’s ranking was Amazon’s Alexa+ spot starring Chris Hemsworth, who runs through several horrifying thought experiments about how the advanced AI might be plotting to murder him in his own home.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
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Fashion Deals If your suitcase is already plotting its next trip, these February clothing and shoe deals are worth a look.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Planning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/planning. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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