as in planning
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
mobsters were caught plotting to take over the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in calculating
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in scheming
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of plotting
Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
To be fair, most romance plotting is built on contrivances and guaranteed happily ever afters.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
The hyperactive plotting runs on hyperventilating prose.
—Book Marks
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
The Girlfriend does not pretend all of this plotting and backbiting isn’t soapy nonsense.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
All of that plotting is happening in a separate room from the elaborate ball itself, which was filmed at boxer Evander Holyfield’s mansion in Atlanta.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
While these reflections offer some useful context to Carroll, this circuitous plotting is distracting.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 30 Aug. 2025
Like Mare, but slightly more elegant in its plotting, Task uses the detective-story format and the specificity of its rural Pennsylvania setting to explore elemental human problems.
—Judy Berman, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Pilar Arias, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
In December 2023, German and Dutch law enforcement arrested four people accused of plotting to attack Jewish institutions in Europe.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Flacco has been at the front of the huddle and the meeting room almost exclusively since late July, and the first game of October is clearly the most important one for the Browns in further plotting their uncertain journey forward.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Well, on one hand, Annie was already plotting against Jake and Alex.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Federal officials said the gunman had been plotting his attack and knew how to locate the agents using ICE tracking apps.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Russia’s unsubstantiated claims that NATO is plotting armed provocations against Transnistria could be a pretext for Moscow’s meddling in Moldova, raising concerns about further military aggression in the region.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum return for the follow-up and are seen in the trailer as Madame Morrible and the Wizard, respectively, plotting Elphaba’s demise.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
His upper half is running the play while his lower half is plotting an escape route.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
At the start of Wayward’s finale, Abbie, Rory and Leila escape from the Tall Pines facility after weeks of planning and plotting.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
To be fair, most romance plotting is built on contrivances and guaranteed happily ever afters.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
The hyperactive plotting runs on hyperventilating prose.
—Book Marks
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
The Girlfriend does not pretend all of this plotting and backbiting isn’t soapy nonsense.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
All of that plotting is happening in a separate room from the elaborate ball itself, which was filmed at boxer Evander Holyfield’s mansion in Atlanta.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
While these reflections offer some useful context to Carroll, this circuitous plotting is distracting.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 30 Aug. 2025
Like Mare, but slightly more elegant in its plotting, Task uses the detective-story format and the specificity of its rural Pennsylvania setting to explore elemental human problems.
—Judy Berman, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
In February, four Hamas members suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe went on trial in Berlin in what prosecutors described as the first court case against militants of the Palestinian group in Germany.
—Pilar Arias, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
In December 2023, German and Dutch law enforcement arrested four people accused of plotting to attack Jewish institutions in Europe.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Flacco has been at the front of the huddle and the meeting room almost exclusively since late July, and the first game of October is clearly the most important one for the Browns in further plotting their uncertain journey forward.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Well, on one hand, Annie was already plotting against Jake and Alex.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Federal officials said the gunman had been plotting his attack and knew how to locate the agents using ICE tracking apps.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Russia’s unsubstantiated claims that NATO is plotting armed provocations against Transnistria could be a pretext for Moscow’s meddling in Moldova, raising concerns about further military aggression in the region.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum return for the follow-up and are seen in the trailer as Madame Morrible and the Wizard, respectively, plotting Elphaba’s demise.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
His upper half is running the play while his lower half is plotting an escape route.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plotting
Verb
-
Flores is excellent at scheming exotic blitzes and disguising pressure.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Game prediction Kansas City’s defense is clicking, and Steve Spanguolo is known for scheming against dynamic offenses.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
25 Sep. 2025
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
-
The developers sprinkle puzzle elements into some dungeons while also adding moments where stealth is more useful and efficient than brute force.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Unlike rotorcraft drones, bird-like machines could blend efficiency with stealth, navigating turbulent conditions more naturally.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Leila and Abbie are at odds but are still planning an escape when Evelyn puts them in a one-on-one Hot Seat session.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
-
However, when Leila arrives at the institution, planning to jailbreak her bestie, things begin to shift.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Hays arranged a covert meeting with Fitzwater in the courthouse annex.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
-
In the 1980s, The War on Drugs was in full swing, and the FBI was willing to try risky covert techniques to break up the cartels.—
Greg Hanlon,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That could soon change thanks to a new bill that artists hope will remove the barriers and secrecy.—
Meghan Pryce,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
-
While residents may have not enjoyed the secrecy that came with this development, Million said Microsoft is being cautious.—
Ricardo Torres,
jsonline.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The notion of a man of Ballmer’s wealth — $153 billion; most in professional sports and top 10 on the planet — being able to procure and retain elite talent through surreptitious ways is the worst nightmare for fans of the league’s other 29 teams.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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When one fan posted a surreptitious photo of Sudeikis and Hunt hanging out at a bar, commenters warned them to not share the location.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
There is a First World War U-boat that somehow glides from underneath Lake Michigan all the way to Croatia, commandeered by its captain, post-Armistice, for new and clandestine uses.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
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Co-created by The New York Times bestselling author Carr and season 1 creator and showrunner David DiGilio, Dark Wolf follows Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) on his journey from the SEALs to the clandestine side of CIA special operations.—
Susan Young,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plotting. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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