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
Relevance
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
Tammy Haddad’s legendary garden brunch remains a stalwart, and Grindr is, for whatever reason, planning a party of its own.
—
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Others travel hours to attend, planning entire trips around it.
—Corey Heyman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
One of the men accused of planning a mass shooting at a Pontiac, Michigan, high school graduation last June learned his fate in court on Tuesday.
—Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman’s hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital, is planning to buy Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s largest music company, which represents artists including Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Bob Dylan, and the Beatles.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for planning
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Others travel hours to attend, planning entire trips around it.
—Corey Heyman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
One of the men accused of planning a mass shooting at a Pontiac, Michigan, high school graduation last June learned his fate in court on Tuesday.
—Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman’s hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital, is planning to buy Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s largest music company, which represents artists including Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Bob Dylan, and the Beatles.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for planning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for planning
Verb
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Subscribe today Hello, this is Hui Jie writing to you from Singapore, while Leonie is away preparing for CNBC’s CONVERGE LIVE event, featuring names like former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and Capital Group CEO Mike Gitlin.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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Last week, Quié, who has the build of a refrigerator and the energy of a hummingbird, was at the Charles Pan-Fried Chicken on 145th Street, preparing for another collaboration.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While many leave college intending to return, few ultimately do.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Bishop acquired the property, intending to preserve the inactive cemetery as a memorial site for the military veterans buried there, some dating back to the Civil War.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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So instead of guessing or relying purely on theory, scientists can now directly measure how entangled a material is—an essential step for designing better quantum devices.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
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The event was the inaugural Miami finale of the Green Heart STEM Challenge, a national program of the Captain Planet Foundation that tasks students in grades six through nine with identifying environmental issues in their communities and designing practical, implementable solutions.—
Ethan Stone,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But bad ideas are endemic to the region, so now the city is contemplating a similar diversion of its reserves.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
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The city is contemplating a brisk timeline of four years to build the stadium.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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All three releases belong to a rapidly expanding category of interactive entertainment that’s defined less by compelling characters and storylines than the calming effect of creating and organizing a functional system.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
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Nate Northup, a PVGC member and Master Gardener, said he was involved in organizing the Garden University educational piece of the event last year and decided to suggest extending it with speakers this year.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Schultz learned a lot going from his first big-league start on Tuesday to his second on Sunday.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Murray’s route to 30 points was unorthodox, going 0-for-8 from 3-point range but making all 16 of his free throw attempts.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But these three high school students aren't arranging bouquets in a floral shop.—
Bo Evans,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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In the city center, the five-star boutique Anthology of Athens by the award-winning Elastic Architects has been arranging secluded luxury stays steps from the Acropolis since late 2024.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The process is designed to keep a president at the helm, so the president doesn’t have to worry about his own appointees plotting against him, Kalt explained.—
Daniel C. Vock,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Orbán also leaves behind a fiscal mess, which the analyst Dalibor Rohac suggests Orbán might be happy to abandon while plotting his comeback.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Planning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/planning. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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