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as in property
a small piece of land that is developed or available for development subdivided the old farm into plots for tract houses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in story
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work wrote novels in which the plot was always subordinate to the characterizations

Synonyms & Similar Words

plot

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plot differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of plot are cabal, conspiracy, intrigue, and machination. While all these words mean "a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end," plot implies careful foresight in planning a complex scheme.

an assassination plot

When might cabal be a better fit than plot?

The synonyms cabal and plot are sometimes interchangeable, but cabal typically applies to political intrigue involving persons of some eminence.

a cabal among powerful senators

In what contexts can conspiracy take the place of plot?

While in some cases nearly identical to plot, conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery.

a conspiracy to fix prices

When is intrigue a more appropriate choice than plot?

The words intrigue and plot are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity.

backstairs intrigue

When could machination be used to replace plot?

Although the words machination and plot have much in common, machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means.

the machinations of a party boss

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 plot
Noun
James Cameron has made a fear of nuclear weapons a plot point in several of his blockbusters. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025 As the title suggests, the plot is expected to focus on Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Quibbles with Roddy aside, the plotting itself has been as confident and crisp as ever, and the rivalry between Slough House and the Park looks to spill out into the open once more. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025 The vessel will plot an 18-day course from the Chinese port of Ningbo-Zhoushan to Felixstowe in the UK, accompanied by ice breakers. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plot
Noun
  • His conviction stemmed from a series of criminal schemes, including submitting false campaign finance documents, misusing donor identities to route funds for personal and campaign use, and providing fraudulent information to the New York State Department of Labor and the House of Representatives.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Doors and Window Frames in a Deep Shade The final component of Berkus’ three-color scheme is the deeper tone, often a darker shade of the wall color, used for doors or window frames.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Gators raced out to a 13-7 lead against the Bulldogs after two quarters, but fans were not pacified by the product on the field.
    Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Galen DiDomizio, who works in the medical field, brought his 2-year-old daughter to the protest, carrying her on his back.
    Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Texas will deter criminal mischief and work with local law enforcement to arrest anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property.
    NPR, NPR, 19 Oct. 2025
  • When exposure occurs through food or drinking water, cesium-137 can accumulate in the body and increase the risk of cancer due to its DNA-damaging properties.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
    Data Skrive, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2025
  • This is a developing story and will be updated.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • As other seemingly unconnected incidents start to happen around her (one friend goes missing, another is attacked), conspiracies are everywhere and Chloe must try to separate truth from fiction while fearing for her life.
    Kate Belli, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Jackson was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, while Dontell was sentenced to 15 years in prison for being an accessory to murder and five years for conspiracy to murder.
    Mason Leath, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In those tests, MEDS was able to deposit bio-ink in the gastric tracts of rabbits.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
  • That includes colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer and biliary tract cancer.
    Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • While shares were able to make up ground on Friday, the stock ended the week down more than 5%.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
  • But all the drinking, gambling, and prostitution was above ground and out in the open.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Pratt rails against the property insurance situation before the blaze and the foreign corporations snapping up parcels from distressed sellers who’d planned to pass them down to younger generations.
    Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025
  • On Monday afternoon, work appeared to be underway on an adjacent parcel where an innovation park is planned.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plot. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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