planning

verb

Definition of planningnext
present participle of plan
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

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 planning Documents said that same day, someone from the foster home told the original Pembroke Pines Police Department investigating officer Goldbourne was planning to come back and meet with another underage girl. — Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 Buc-ee’s is planning to improve road conditions along Speedway Boulevard and Village West Parkway to make room for new visitors. — Sofi Zeman july 14, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026 Our brains are planning several words ahead, allowing sounds from neighboring words to become active at the same time and occasionally interfere with one another. — Karen Stollznow, The Conversation, 14 July 2026 The recent announcement of the exit of Marianne Lake, whom several analysts believed was the top CEO candidate, led investors to think that perhaps Dimon wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon, Najarian said. — Hugh Son,laya Neelakandan,leslie Picker,ritika Shah, CNBC, 14 July 2026 Advertisement The report contains clues about how Mozilla might be planning to sustain itself if the revenue streams from Firefox dry up. — Billy Perrigo, Time, 14 July 2026 Officials said the partnership allows the government to identify industrial gaps and move projects from planning to production more quickly. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026 Sophie spends most of her free time at Columbia Road Flower Market or planning her next trip abroad. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026 Biogen is planning a larger study to try to prove the drug’s benefit. — Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 14 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for planning
  1. preparing
  2. intending
  3. designing
  4. contemplating
  5. organizing
  6. going
  7. arranging
  8. aiming
Verb
  • As the first games were preparing to begin, the administration continued to find itself under global scrutiny for its visa decisions, such as denying entry to a referee from Somalia who had won accolades for his officiating.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • After two years of preparing for the $250 million conversion of the Enfield Square Mall to housing, Woodsonia Real Estate has apparently lost its purchase agreement and now its plan is sidelined or dead.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
Definition of preparing
Verb
  • Prosecutors say the group amassed guns, explosives, drones and body armor, intending to bomb the UFC Freedom 250 crowd and shoot fleeing spectators before the plan was disrupted.
    — Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
  • Visitors with overnight paddle, overnight motor and overnight hiking permits who were intending to enter the forest between Monday and Friday will have their reservations canceled.
    — Aki Nace, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of intending
Verb
  • SpaceX is designing Starship, which stands more than 400 feet (121 meters) tall, to be a fully reusable rocket capable of launching missions to the moon, Mars or beyond.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 15 July 2026
  • In addition to Ranger, the companies are also designing a one-way attack variant known as Strike.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
Definition of designing
Verb
  • Harry was said to have been contemplating bringing his children to meet the king.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026
  • The Sox are contemplating selecting either UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson or Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey with the first pick.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of contemplating
Verb
  • Jean started organizing her daily routines around their conversations, and dreaming of their future together — a big house, a blended family, a new beginning.
    — Juliet Linderman, Fortune, 16 July 2026
  • Here, the focus naturally turns toward organizing your thoughts, tackling errands and paying attention to the routines that shape your life.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of organizing
Verb
  • The annual ESPYs kept the Knicks’ NBA Championship celebration going Wednesday with performances by four New York rap legends.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
  • Also on the Yankee Stadium stage on July 12, a shirtless Usher gets the crowd going during Jay-Z’s concert.
    — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of going
Verb
  • The neighborhood association hasn’t had much luck arranging a meeting with city officials.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
  • Viewers witnessed her arranging flowers, harvesting honey, talking about jam and sprinkling edible flowers over various dishes.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Definition of arranging
Verb
  • Spieth was not aiming for the 13th fairway, but instead the right rough.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • The game just happens to fall on Bastille Day, as France is aiming to reach its third straight World Cup final.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 14 July 2026
Definition of aiming

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Planning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/planning. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on planning

Nglish: Translation of planning for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about planning

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