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plan

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plan contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of plan are design, plot, project, and scheme. While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

plans for a house

When is design a more appropriate choice than plan?

While in some cases nearly identical to plan, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

a design for a new dress

When could plot be used to replace plan?

While the synonyms plot and plan are close in meaning, plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

the plot of the play

When is it sensible to use project instead of plan?

In some situations, the words project and plan are roughly equivalent. However, project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

a project to develop the waterfront

Where would scheme be a reasonable alternative to plan?

The synonyms scheme and plan are sometimes interchangeable, but scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest.

a scheme to defraud the government

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 plan
Noun
Minnesota Vikings - Malaki Starks, S, Georgia The Vikings need a backup plan for Harrison Smith at safety. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025 The split plan, which was roundly criticized by residents, was ultimately called off on March 14. Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
The flurry of activity in the case included an emergency hearing Friday evening before US District Judge James Boasberg in Washington, where a Justice Department lawyer said no deportation flights are planned for that night or Saturday. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025 The vice president met with U.S. Embassy staff and planned to meet with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who just returned to Italy from Washington. Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plan
Noun
  • However, Keena said that strategy may not be as effective this time around.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Outpacing services and community expectations while chasing tax dollars is not a long-term winning strategy.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The key to success is finding the best glycolic acid formula for your skin’s needs and goals, which includes figuring out the right format and concentration of acid.
    Emily Orofino, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The seventh-place Lions are only below Chelsea on goal differential and have just a one-point deficit with Manchester City for the final Champions League spot.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Remembering how a few crucial opportunities to work on calligraphy and design at a young age prepared him for his career in film, fashion, and painting, Yi Ming hopes to open similar doors for other young artists.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
  • In short, the US was preparing for a world with a rising demand for ever scarcer, more expensive fossil fuels, most of which would have to come from abroad.
    Umair Irfan, Vox, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • How did the water tower come down? Crews had intended for the water tower, built in 1913 at 524 S. Osage St., to fall into an open plot of grass to the north, but the first attempt failed.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The spaces from which Trump seeks to exclude the AP are not a press facility like the Brady Press Briefing Room and are intended for the president’s personal use, McArthur argued.
    Ella Lee, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The campaign-season blueprint known as Project 2025 that laid out Trump’s potential agenda highlighted Section 117 as a possible mechanism to claw back federal funding from top schools, including through Pell Grants and Fullbright Scholarships — a move experts say could devastate critical research.
    Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
  • It was designed to be a blueprint, a launching point.
    Amelia Hurley, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The name’s ironic on purpose—the app allows users to create, send, and receive anonymous voice messages in a celebrity’s tone.
    Alexandra York, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice.
    Dr. Ronald Premuroso, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That might seem like a minor caveat, but designing alternative cuisines that closely resemble their source dishes will be necessary if society wants to transition towards a more sustainable food industry.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Fox News Digital understands that As Ever, which is supposed to be an extension of Meghan’s past lifestyle blog The Tig, will not be designing clothing.
    Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Google had contemplated deals with Android phone makers such as Samsung that would provide exclusivity for not only its search app, but also for its Gemini AI app and Chrome browser, according to a document shown at trial.
    Jody Godoy, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • To see why, contemplate a recent Wall Street Journal headline concerning Meta.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plan. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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