1
as in ruses
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 plots
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter
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3
as in plans
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 intrigues
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 schemes
Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
As contemporary home designs fade the visual bounds between interior and exterior, design pros are calling on lighting designers to illuminate their clients’ landscapes, with schemes that provide everything from safety to spectacle.
—Kelly Ryan Kegans, Architectural Digest, 23 June 2026
Seven people were charged Tuesday in a series of Medicaid fraud schemes that the Minnesota Attorney General's Office says cost taxpayers more than $700,000.
—Riley Moser, CBS News, 23 June 2026
The scams, which operate online, work by convincing victims to put their money into fraudulent investment schemes.
—Shibani Mahtani, NPR, 21 June 2026
After an eight-day trial, a former El Dorado County resident was found guilty Thursday in a federal case regarding a series of fraudulent schemes.
—Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 20 June 2026
Warren's letter cites Department of Justice cases alleging third-party schemes diverted hundreds of millions in Nvidia chips, including H100s and H200s, to China.
—Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
The case marks the first for Hochman’s new Business Tax Fraud Unit, established to investigate financial crimes involving business tax evasion, payroll tax fraud, falsified business records and underground economy schemes.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026
On the other side, scammers are eager to part fans from their money with fake streaming sites, fake ticket schemes, scam betting apps, and shady crypto deals.
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 19 June 2026
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Mar. 2026
Joy Randolph, follows a desperate gallery owner (Portman) who schemes to sell a dead man as art at Art Basel in Miami.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Chalamet embodies Marty’s arrant showmanship with an evident joy in performance, exactly as Marty himself schemes not only shamelessly but jubilantly.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
Matthew quickly schemes his way into Oliver’s orbit after that first performance, impressing and rankling the group of lackeys in his entourage at the same time.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
Federal authorities on Tuesday charged 10 Southern California defendants in a series of healthcare fraud schemes, including one case involving nearly $270 million in fraudulent Medi-Cal claims and another that allegedly defrauded Medicare out of approximately $27 million.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
As contemporary home designs fade the visual bounds between interior and exterior, design pros are calling on lighting designers to illuminate their clients’ landscapes, with schemes that provide everything from safety to spectacle.
—Kelly Ryan Kegans, Architectural Digest, 23 June 2026
Seven people were charged Tuesday in a series of Medicaid fraud schemes that the Minnesota Attorney General's Office says cost taxpayers more than $700,000.
—Riley Moser, CBS News, 23 June 2026
The scams, which operate online, work by convincing victims to put their money into fraudulent investment schemes.
—Shibani Mahtani, NPR, 21 June 2026
After an eight-day trial, a former El Dorado County resident was found guilty Thursday in a federal case regarding a series of fraudulent schemes.
—Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 20 June 2026
Warren's letter cites Department of Justice cases alleging third-party schemes diverted hundreds of millions in Nvidia chips, including H100s and H200s, to China.
—Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
The case marks the first for Hochman’s new Business Tax Fraud Unit, established to investigate financial crimes involving business tax evasion, payroll tax fraud, falsified business records and underground economy schemes.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026
On the other side, scammers are eager to part fans from their money with fake streaming sites, fake ticket schemes, scam betting apps, and shady crypto deals.
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 19 June 2026
Verb
Marty, who was loosely based on real-life ping-pong legend Marty Reisman, schemes his way to competitions across the globe and hustles for pocket cash.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Mar. 2026
Joy Randolph, follows a desperate gallery owner (Portman) who schemes to sell a dead man as art at Art Basel in Miami.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Chalamet embodies Marty’s arrant showmanship with an evident joy in performance, exactly as Marty himself schemes not only shamelessly but jubilantly.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
Matthew quickly schemes his way into Oliver’s orbit after that first performance, impressing and rankling the group of lackeys in his entourage at the same time.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schemes
Noun
-
They are accused of using several ruses to force their way into people’s homes, assaulting unsuspecting residents and holding them hostage for their own money, and demanding access to their crypto accounts.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
Kids will quickly see through her ruses.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Our plots run away characters shapeshifting on the page?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
-
These movies are wildly popular spectacles, even if the plots are a little thin.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Britain remembers well the fiasco of 2022, when then-Prime Minister Liz Truss triggered a mass sell-off of bonds after presenting plans for huge unfunded tax cuts.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
-
In communities nationwide, officials said ICE canceled plans to convert commercial warehouses into large detention sites.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Noun
-
The Big Think website has been optimized to work with all major browsers and devices.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 June 2026
-
Numerous guests were reportedly secured in harnesses and fall protection and then transitioned onto aerial devices.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
The photo of Kyle and Amanda leaving the reunion and laughing went viral, which also set off some conspiracies among the very normal fandom of these shows.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
17 June 2026
-
He was found guilty on seven counts, including multiple fraud and money-laundering conspiracies.—
Camila Grigera Naón,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
When considered city by city and decade by decade, there are lots of factors in home run totals, from ballpark dimensions to playing strategies to the number of long ball hitters in each lineup.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
Market dynamics, consumer preferences, manufacturing considerations, and pricing strategies can all influence how products are formulated and positioned.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Yamal’s flicks and tricks in his 45-minute appearance were almost enough to make memories for life, while Oyarzabal should have completed his hat-trick (both players would be substituted at the break).—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
-
Vinícius Júnior’s extensive and varied skill set includes blinding speed, dazzling dribbling tricks, and the ability to effortlessly slip past defenders.—
Tushaar Kuthiala,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
The items and blueprints for the items can be found in shops, claw machines, the flower basket crafting mission, the box of fortune, and the orb roll challenge.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
The team compared the vessel’s size, along with the position of its masts and cargo holds, against blueprints of the Hōfuku Maru, built in 1919.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Schemes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schemes. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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