Synonyms of plot

plot 1 of 2

noun

ˈplät 

1

as in scheme

a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends

the Secret Service uncovered just in time a plot to assassinate the President

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scheme
• conspiracy
• intrigue
• machination
• strategy
• design
• counterplot
• manipulation
• subterfuge
• maneuver
• trickery
• stratagem
• cabal
• contrivance
• racket
• frame-up
• system
• program
• draft
• dodge
• counterconspiracy
• confederacy
• collusion
• ground plan
• complicity
• cover-up
• ring
• conniving
• connivance
• gimmick
• game
• trick
• artifice
• conspiration

2

as in field

a small area of usually open land

grew vegetables in a little plot

Synonyms & Similar Words

• field
• tract
• ground
• parcel
• clearing
• meadow
• lot
• plat
• lawn
• grass
• green
• pasture
• grassland
• greensward
• croft
• common(s)
• moor
• pastureland
• glade
• heath
• lea
• heathland

3

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

• property
• tract
• parcel
• lot
• development
• lease
• plat
• patch
• real estate
• frontage

4

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

• story
• action
• story line
• subplot
• arc
• development
• plan
• theme
• scheme
• outline
• subject
• design
• argument
• mythos

plot

2 of 2

verb

ˈplät 

as in to scheme

to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends

mobsters were caught plotting to take over the company

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scheme
• plan
• intrigue
• conspire
• contrive
• design
• collude
• engineer
• machinate
• connive
• devise
• compass
• manipulate
• counterplot
• hatch
• put up
• concoct
• map
• brew
• cook (up)
• shape
• maneuver
• jockey
• frame
• lay out

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

Recent Examples of plot

Noun

The state’s capital, Lincoln, has particularly pretty outdoor spaces, including its 668-acre Pioneers Park Nature Center and Sunken Gardens, which features art installations and water features in addition to its flower plots. — Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2026

The plot is loosely based on the Black Dahlia murder, and the protagonist is an aspiring actress like Elizabeth Short. — Sarah Batcha, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026

Verb

But who hasn’t been certain that the world, or at least the group chat, is plotting against them? — Christopher Barnard, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026

Despite his rakish lifestyle, Don Juan falls in love with innocent Adriana, infuriating the envious Lucrezia Borgia (Estelle Taylor), who plots to ruin the young lovers’ nascent romance. — Air Mail, 8 Aug. 2026