scenario

noun

sce·​nar·​io sə-ˈner-ē-ˌō How to pronounce scenario (audio)
 US also and especially British  -ˈnär-
plural scenarios
1
a
: an outline or synopsis of a play
especially : a plot outline used by actors of the commedia dell'arte
b
: the libretto of an opera
2
3
: a sequence of events especially when imagined
especially : an account or synopsis of a possible course of action or events
his scenario for a settlement envisages … reunification Selig Harrison

Examples of scenario in a Sentence

A possible scenario would be that we move to the city. The most likely scenario is that he goes back to school in the fall. The best-case scenario would be for us to finish the work by tomorrow. In the worst-case scenario, we would have to start the project all over again.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In a new trade scenario, the Mavericks do just that and land a star 3-and-D defender from the Portland Trail Blazers. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024 Large numbers of new people coming into the home and descending on piles of food and Christmas decorations easily trigger anxious dogs − and worst-case scenario, someone could get bit or your dog could eat something dangerous. Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024 For instance, synthetic data may not fully capture the nuanced characteristics of real-world scenarios, and transfer learning can struggle to generalize across significantly different domains. Hamilton Mann, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 Although much remains unknown about the new genotypes, such a scenario is highly unlikely. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for scenario 

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Latin scaenarium place for erecting stages, from scaena stage

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of scenario was in 1768

Dictionary Entries Near scenario

Cite this Entry

“Scenario.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scenario. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

scenario

noun
sce·​nar·​io sə-ˈnar-ē-ˌō How to pronounce scenario (audio)
-ˈner-,
-ˈnär-
plural scenarios
1
a
: an outline of a play
b
: the text of an opera
2
3
: a sequence of events especially when imagined

More from Merriam-Webster on scenario

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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