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
Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The Institute observed that a UBI program did not necessarily cause inflation; delivery system strength is key; an effective communication strategy is essential; the UBI program should fit within existing schemes; and crises shed light on the gaps in social protection systems.
—Carrie Brandon Elliot, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
In the interim, the government has established matching fund schemes and collaborative financing models designed to strengthen partnerships between Indonesian filmmakers and global industry players.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026
This includes providing factories with technical guidance on advanced chemical management, pollution reduction schemes and maintaining international environmental standards.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
Arizona officials on Thursday announced 140 indictments related to the schemes.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2026
The top-scoring offense in the league last year, the Rams present a tough challenge thanks to their versatility and the schemes of head coach Sean McVay.
—Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Working within different schemes tested Smith’s versatility and football IQ.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
Trevor began imagining elaborate criminal schemes.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 11 May 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
The most productive college players do not necessarily make the best pros—football is an endlessly interconnected game, with twenty-two players interacting within complicated strategic schemes, and the quality of collegiate competition varies widely.
—Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The Institute observed that a UBI program did not necessarily cause inflation; delivery system strength is key; an effective communication strategy is essential; the UBI program should fit within existing schemes; and crises shed light on the gaps in social protection systems.
—Carrie Brandon Elliot, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
In the interim, the government has established matching fund schemes and collaborative financing models designed to strengthen partnerships between Indonesian filmmakers and global industry players.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026
This includes providing factories with technical guidance on advanced chemical management, pollution reduction schemes and maintaining international environmental standards.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
Arizona officials on Thursday announced 140 indictments related to the schemes.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2026
The top-scoring offense in the league last year, the Rams present a tough challenge thanks to their versatility and the schemes of head coach Sean McVay.
—Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Working within different schemes tested Smith’s versatility and football IQ.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
Trevor began imagining elaborate criminal schemes.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 11 May 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
-
There’s a long lineage of revenge plots in fiction and drama and film, of course.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2026
-
Cinematographer Mátyás Erdély’s gaslamp wash makes the whole thing visually alluring, but the story up to this point is one of malformed double entendres, as Moulin and his cohorts react to more important plots unfolding elsewhere in the war.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Last month, Will County Board members approved Earthrise Energy’s plans for a 2,400-acre solar farm near Crete.—
Alicia Fabbre,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
Citing statements from jurors and a county clerk who aided Hill, Murdaugh's lawyers say Hill urged jurors not to be confused by Murdaugh's defense tactics and to watch his body language — and that she was motivated by plans to publish a book about the case.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
In the Jobs era, the Apple ecosystem was its biggest competitive advantage — Cook doubled down on it, with all devices working seamlessly together.—
Vitaliy Katsenelson,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
-
Despite their tiny size, the devices delivered some of the strongest efficiencies reported for ultrathin perovskite solar technology.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Wallace is particularly troubled by how quickly hantavirus was incorporated into the COVID-era health conspiracies and the distrust in public health authorities that still thrive in certain online ecosystems.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
-
In Russia, indulging in such conspiracies is often less an exercise in political prediction than an expression of deeper anxieties that can be otherwise hard to express.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Wilson also said Republicans are likelier to use AI in their campaign strategies than Democrats, citing recent poll results by the American Association of Political Consultants.—
Angela Yang,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
-
Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
As his tricks progressed, the Young Man felt horrified and confused at the same time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
From that moment on, people in Cuba have been unable to access El Estornudo except through technological tricks like VPNs and proxies that alter their geolocation.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The architect who drew up the cabin’s blueprints worked under a contract, like Davis.—
Amber Gaudet,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
-
The result—white ink against a deep blue background—reminded him of architectural blueprints.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Schemes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schemes. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
