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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in plots
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in plans
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective
a scheme to upgrade the city's mass transit system
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Madigan, meanwhile, was convicted in a separate trial of an array of schemes that included the ComEd bribery payments.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
In March 2024, Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for multiple fraud schemes related to his now-defunct business.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 June 2026
Seeing the different coverages, the rolls, the schemes.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 12 June 2026
The ports, like the main roadways, have become strategic targets for armed gangs, which generate millions of dollars through extortion schemes imposed on truck drivers moving goods in and out of the ports.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
Evans operated under multiple aliases – including Jolene Travis, Joy John, and Joy Paige – in part because of prior convictions for psychic‑fraud schemes.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 10 June 2026
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
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
According to the police report, a woman also reportedly claimed to be a victim of one of Chen's check-cashing schemes, alleging that she was scammed out of $40,000 after Chen wrote her bad checks from a man's account, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Madigan, meanwhile, was convicted in a separate trial of an array of schemes that included the ComEd bribery payments.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
In March 2024, Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for multiple fraud schemes related to his now-defunct business.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 June 2026
Seeing the different coverages, the rolls, the schemes.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 12 June 2026
The ports, like the main roadways, have become strategic targets for armed gangs, which generate millions of dollars through extortion schemes imposed on truck drivers moving goods in and out of the ports.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
Evans operated under multiple aliases – including Jolene Travis, Joy John, and Joy Paige – in part because of prior convictions for psychic‑fraud schemes.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 10 June 2026
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
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
-
More action means more to unpack, like incestuous bloodlines, secret plots that have been years in the making, the rapidly shifting alliances, and how to tell all the silver-haired Targaryens apart.—
Nic Juarez,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
-
When some of your books have been adapted to film or television, the plots have often gone off in whole different directions.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Next year, these plans for retirees will increase on average by less than 1%.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
-
Each federal land management agency has its own regulations with criteria for managing off-road vehicle use — for instance, the BLM uses travel management plans to determine where vehicles are allowed on specific pieces of land.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Prinano said its technology supports wafer-level production of photonic chips and can be applied to optical communication and sensing devices based on gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and silicon photonics.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
-
Spending on mental wellness has accelerated faster than the evidence base, encompassing everything from spa retreats to brain supplements, smartphone apps, and at-home devices.—
Melinda Fulmer,
Robb Report,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Eight people were indicted for allegedly being involved in conspiracies to threaten university leaders, law enforcement officials and businesses.—
Elaine Rojas-Castillo,
CBS News,
13 June 2026
-
The film references popular alien conspiracies such as Roswell and Nixon-Gleason, suggesting that there is perhaps some truth to them.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Here, members of Forbes Human Resources Council share strategies for building communication frameworks that reduce distractions, improve clarity and help employees stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Learn about the debt relief strategies available to you now.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
One of my nerdiest hip-hop fan instincts is trying to catch the subtle ways production tricks and flows migrate from one city to the next, like an invasive species.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
-
One of his greatest joys was performing magic tricks alongside his granddaughter.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The blueprints were drawn up by Uruguayan architect Álvaro Pérez Azar, who also sourced and restored local vintage pieces of furniture.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
-
Yet, the slender fangjaw proves that the creatures that look like monsters might actually hold the blueprints for our future.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Schemes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schemes. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
