as in calculating
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as in scheming
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as in planning
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
mobsters were caught plotting to take over the company
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Recent Examples of plotting
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
Between Duke, Kaulo, and Beckett’s plotting, there are enough moving parts to drive the story toward a climactic, incendiary end.
—Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
While Revere was central to the ride and its plotting, Kennedy will highlight myriad other men and women who proved crucial to the events that helped set in motion what would lead to America’s independence.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
The script was rushed, the plotting tangled and confusing.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
There’s a tension, too, between the observant realism of Layton’s style and the derivativeness of the plotting, though the three leads, all superb, smooth it over with considerable skill.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
Not a single critic of the book was struck by the incongruity of this failure in basic thriller plotting.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
The plotting, Truist claims, began in August 2022 when Rocco, Lovell, and other Grandbridge employees allegedly met with Colliers executives to discuss working together, all without the knowledge of Truist or its head of commercial real estate.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
Invincible is one of the best superhero shows on TV, blending intense and often gory action with smart plotting and character development, clever storytelling, a refreshingly earnest protagonist and an incredible cast.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2026
Already, lawmakers are plotting how to point the finger at Trump on the campaign trail.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026
He was tried, found guilty and executed, his fate at least in part designed to be a warning to others plotting a similar escape.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
The Islamic State member was plotting an attack in the United States and believed it would be carried out by the informant and Jalloh, court documents said.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Iran may soon run out of drones, yet has other asymmetrical options – such as choking the Strait of Hormuz or plotting terror on foreign soil – that can irritate the US and disrupt peace.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
The experiment operates on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory in Texas and goes beyond simply plotting galaxies to mapping structures that are faint and difficult to observe from the early universe, according to a statement.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Krasniqi and two other men were arrested in November, accused of plotting to offer a juror $100,000 to vote not guilty in Gogic’s trial.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
The Canadian government had accused Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of plotting to target Sikh separatists in Canada.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
The dramatic checkerboard floors beg to be used in a story of Machiavellian plotting and/or black-and-white morality.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
Between Duke, Kaulo, and Beckett’s plotting, there are enough moving parts to drive the story toward a climactic, incendiary end.
—Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
While Revere was central to the ride and its plotting, Kennedy will highlight myriad other men and women who proved crucial to the events that helped set in motion what would lead to America’s independence.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
The script was rushed, the plotting tangled and confusing.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
There’s a tension, too, between the observant realism of Layton’s style and the derivativeness of the plotting, though the three leads, all superb, smooth it over with considerable skill.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
Not a single critic of the book was struck by the incongruity of this failure in basic thriller plotting.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
The plotting, Truist claims, began in August 2022 when Rocco, Lovell, and other Grandbridge employees allegedly met with Colliers executives to discuss working together, all without the knowledge of Truist or its head of commercial real estate.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
Invincible is one of the best superhero shows on TV, blending intense and often gory action with smart plotting and character development, clever storytelling, a refreshingly earnest protagonist and an incredible cast.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
Swig Swig is plotting its newest location in Charlotte, though the timeline for the opening is unclear.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2026
Already, lawmakers are plotting how to point the finger at Trump on the campaign trail.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026
He was tried, found guilty and executed, his fate at least in part designed to be a warning to others plotting a similar escape.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
The Islamic State member was plotting an attack in the United States and believed it would be carried out by the informant and Jalloh, court documents said.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Iran may soon run out of drones, yet has other asymmetrical options – such as choking the Strait of Hormuz or plotting terror on foreign soil – that can irritate the US and disrupt peace.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
The experiment operates on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory in Texas and goes beyond simply plotting galaxies to mapping structures that are faint and difficult to observe from the early universe, according to a statement.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Krasniqi and two other men were arrested in November, accused of plotting to offer a juror $100,000 to vote not guilty in Gogic’s trial.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
The Canadian government had accused Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of plotting to target Sikh separatists in Canada.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plotting
Adjective
-
Even Alex becomes too entangled in her students’ dealings and ends up suffering at the hands of one of the more calculating boys.—
Rebekah Frumkin,
Washington Post,
6 Sep. 2019
-
And experts believe that his intuitive style could throw the more calculating Caruana, who has faced time crunches already in this championship, off-balance.—
Joshua Robinson,
WSJ,
27 Nov. 2018
Noun
-
Getting there required some Regency-era scheming.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Alliances will be formed, scheming will begin, intense challenges will take place and contestants will be voted out.—
Christopher Kuhagen,
jsonline.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cameron is planning to make a presentation to the Aurora City Council with more details about the city’s plans in early April, once more details are ironed out.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The feud began in August as Democratic members of the state Assembly were planning resolutions honoring Hispanic heritage and Hispanic veterans in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month in September, according to the criminal complaint.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Alexander Csergo, a Sydney business consultant, faces up to 15 years in prison after being the second person to be convicted under Australian laws against covert interference and espionage.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The program remained covert for decades and was publicly exposed in 1986 when technician Mordechai Vanunu leaked photographs and information about the site.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For a creature that relies on stealth and stillness in low-light forest habitats, that potential ability to sense ambient light through its own body adds to an already unusual sensory profile.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
-
According to Fincantieri, key innovations from Italian industry, including a lithium-ion propulsion battery and a new combat system, will deliver improved stealth, endurance, operational efficiency, and stronger cyber resilience.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The filmmakers and inmates carried out this investigation in secret, through anonymous phone calls and surreptitious recordings, ultimately revealing systemic rot inside a sadistic prison system.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
-
None was required for that surreptitious exchange– two dollars for a warm burrito neatly wrapped.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In that environment, secrecy can carry risks.—
Bruce Helmer,
Twin Cities,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The combination of Israel’s undeclared arsenal and Iran’s nuclear ambitions has created what many analysts describe as a tense strategic balance, one that relies heavily on deterrence and secrecy.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The documentary is built around the investigative work of journalists Katya Hakim and Denis Korotkov who picked up the mantle from three colleagues who were brutally slain while looking into Wagner’s clandestine activities in Africa.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
-
On this occasion in 2018, Rodriguez and others in the group had received an anonymous tip of a possible clandestine cemetery on the outskirts of Cordoba.—
Kamala Thiagarajan,
NPR,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plotting. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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