Thesaurus results for SCHEMES

schemes 1 of 2

noun

plural of scheme

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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as in plots

a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter

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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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schemes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of scheme

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of schemes

Noun

Critics, however, have questioned the administration’s motives behind the new division given that fraud was already prosecuted by the agency’s Criminal Division, which last year announced the largest coordinated takedown of healthcare fraud schemes in Justice Department history. —

Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026 With no one coming to save him, Santi learned to save himself — cheating cards, running schemes, talking his way into and out of everything. —

Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 8 June 2026 Strange also is a former Dolphin who knows McDaniel’s schemes well. —

Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 8 June 2026 The fraud cases also involved large-scale, multi-million-dollar schemes. —

Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026 But now, as the Colorado River system continuously slumps toward a crash, water leaders are becoming more open to thinking outside of the box of normal management schemes, Balken said. —

Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026 Both Goss and DeVries agreed senior citizens should notify police if residents have been victims of scams or have concerns before moving ahead with possible lawbreaking schemes. —

Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026 In a series of other cases, meanwhile, the Justice Department secured indictments against several individuals who are accused of their involvement in romance fraud schemes that targeted older Americans on dating websites and social media platforms. —

Laura Geller, CBS News, 4 June 2026 Shakespeare’s comedies especially understand the joy of watching people get trapped in schemes and plots well beyond their control. —

Literary Hub, 2 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