1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
an e-mail scheme to trick unwary Internet users into disclosing passwords and financial information
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2
as in conspiracy
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter
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3
as in plan
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective
a scheme to upgrade the city's mass transit system
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as in to plot
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scheme
Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
If the desert landscape of the Inland Sea and the vibrant flavors of Doha are calling you to Qatar, consider extending your vacation through the next decade via the Middle Eastern country’s latest visa scheme.
—Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Randy’s social life involved a scheming posse of white-supremacist survivalists who wanted to fight the ZOG (Zionist Occupied Government) by, say, forcing IRS agents to walk naked through the woods.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scheme
Noun
Larceny under $1,200 by a single scheme.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
If the desert landscape of the Inland Sea and the vibrant flavors of Doha are calling you to Qatar, consider extending your vacation through the next decade via the Middle Eastern country’s latest visa scheme.
—Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
Reuther plays Jarl Sigurd, the Jarl of Hladir, a scheming Norwegian jarl and ally of Haakon (Levi Miller), the younger half-brother of Erik Bloodaxe (Molyneux).
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Randy’s social life involved a scheming posse of white-supremacist survivalists who wanted to fight the ZOG (Zionist Occupied Government) by, say, forcing IRS agents to walk naked through the woods.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scheme
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scheme
Noun
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Or, perhaps, this was all just an elaborate ruse to clear a roster spot for third-string point guard Pat Spencer.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Seth Rollins has been out with a legitimate injury, but after his ruse to win at SummerSlam, anything is possible with him.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Prosecutors charged Lemon with conspiracy to deprive rights and a FACE Act violation stemming from his involvement in an anti-ICE protest that disrupted church services in Minnesota.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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So far, Becerra’s former chief of staff Sean McCluskie and Sacramento lobbyist Greg Campbell have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Many residents in Minnesota are doubtful of Homan’s claim that federal immigration authorities are preparing a drawdown plan for law enforcement in the state.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The philanthropy started by Bill and Melinda French Gates will shutter in 2045 and has plans to make a record $9 billion in donations this year while remaining primarily focused on health care and disease research.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In early May, with United due to host arch-rivals Liverpool in the Premier League during a time in which Covid-19 restrictions meant fans were not allowed into stadiums, supporters plotted a huge protest around one of the most high-profile fixtures in English football.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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But commenters were also fascinated by a series of colorful graphs plotting dose-response curves for individual types of exercise, purporting to show that walking is the best, jogging is good but not too much, swimming is no good at all, and so on.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Insights into Alzheimer’s Interestingly, the molecular tricks spiders use to spin their webs are similar to the sophisticated signaling processes found in human neurotransmitter and hormone receptors.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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One easy trick can turn those misshapen lumps with scraggly edges into gorgeous, bakery-worthy treats.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Today, the training centers provide lactation and feeding rooms, and the USOPC offers everything from physical and mental health support to nutritional planning and postpartum recovery strategies.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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As return rates remain elevated, margins compress and fraud tactics grow more sophisticated, retailers are being forced to rethink how reverse logistics fits into their broader business strategy.—
Sourcing Journal,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Arm's chip designs power most of the world's smartphones and are increasingly used in AI data centers and edge computing devices.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Such devices generally consist of alternating layers of p- and n-type semiconductors connected in series.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Heavy investment in player salaries has been part of Liverpool’s blueprint for years.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
For that, Timbers and the team found the original blueprints from 1976.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scheme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scheme. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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