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scheme

Q: How does the noun 'scheme' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scheme are design , plan , plot , and project . While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest. // a scheme to defraud the government

Q: When would 'design' be a good substitute for 'scheme'?

While the synonyms design and scheme are close in meaning, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony. // a design for a new dress

Q: When is it sensible to use 'plan' instead of 'scheme'?

In some situations, the words plan and scheme are roughly equivalent. However, plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation. // plans for a house

Q: When is 'plot' a more appropriate choice than 'scheme'?

The synonyms plot and scheme are sometimes interchangeable, but plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions. // the plot of the play

Q: In what contexts can 'project' take the place of 'scheme'?

Although the words project and scheme have much in common, project often stresses imaginative scope and vision. // a project to develop the waterfront

noun

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Synonyms of scheme

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end

an e-mail scheme to trick unwary Internet users into disclosing passwords and financial information

Synonyms for scheme

Words Related to scheme

Phrases Synonymous with scheme

sleight of hand

2 a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends

a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter

Synonyms for scheme

Words Related to scheme

frame-up

3 a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective

a scheme to upgrade the city's mass transit system

Synonyms for scheme

Words Related to scheme

scheme

verb

Synonyms of scheme (Entry 2 of 2)

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

the town inspector had schemed to overlook the contractor's code violations in exchange for a substantial bribe

Synonyms for scheme

Words Related to scheme

counterplot

Frequently Asked Questions About scheme

How does the noun scheme contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scheme are design, plan, plot, and project. While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest.

a scheme to defraud the government

When would design be a good substitute for scheme?

While the synonyms design and scheme are close in meaning, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

a design for a new dress

When is it sensible to use plan instead of scheme?

In some situations, the words plan and scheme are roughly equivalent. However, plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

plans for a house

When is plot a more appropriate choice than scheme?

The synonyms plot and scheme are sometimes interchangeable, but plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

the plot of the play