plot 1 of 2

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as in property
a small piece of land that is developed or available for development subdivided the old farm into plots for tract houses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in story
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work wrote novels in which the plot was always subordinate to the characterizations

Synonyms & Similar Words

plot

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plot differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of plot are cabal, conspiracy, intrigue, and machination. While all these words mean "a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end," plot implies careful foresight in planning a complex scheme.

an assassination plot

When might cabal be a better fit than plot?

The synonyms cabal and plot are sometimes interchangeable, but cabal typically applies to political intrigue involving persons of some eminence.

a cabal among powerful senators

In what contexts can conspiracy take the place of plot?

While in some cases nearly identical to plot, conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery.

a conspiracy to fix prices

When is intrigue a more appropriate choice than plot?

The words intrigue and plot are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity.

backstairs intrigue

When could machination be used to replace plot?

Although the words machination and plot have much in common, machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means.

the machinations of a party boss

Examples 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 plot
Noun
The plot in a nutshell: Dockery plays Madolyn, an air marshal transporting Mob trial witness Winston (Grace) from a small Alaskan town to Anchorage. Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025 Justin Baldoni's lawyer claims Ryan Reynolds mocks actor in Deadpool & Wolverine: 'No question' Perhaps more striking were the accusations surrounding the projects' characters and plots. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
President-elect Trump and congressional Republicans are plotting how to address the nation’s debt limit this year. Aris Folley, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025 The University of Savoy Mont Blanc research teams are just now discerning patterns and plotting the frequency of extreme mountain events. Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for plot 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plot
Noun
  • Taking control of the Panama Canal was the most popular of Trump’s schemes to expand the U.S., with 46% in favor and 47% in opposition.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
  • In addition to alleging plans to pressure developers into hiring Madigan’s law firm, the indictment accuses Madigan and McClain of bribery schemes involving ComEd and AT&T Illinois.
    Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Experts in the field were immediately blown away by the results.
    Janko Roettgers, The Verge, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Nonetheless, despite the offensive quality on the field, there is a good chance that Monday’s game will be decided by whichever team has the better defense.
    Jamie Barton, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Biden's properties in Greenville and Rehoboth Beach, in particular, have appreciated significantly, with their total value nearly doubling.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
  • In 1974, Congress agreed to refurbish the house on the property of the Naval Observatory as a home for the sitting vice president.
    Addy Bink, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Other news organizations such as the New York Times and Sky News had stories incorrectly summarized.
    David Phelan, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • Larry Stern Westlake Village A story worth telling What an incredible accomplishment by the Rams, Cardinals, Vikings, and NFL in relocating the Rams-Vikings game from SoFi to Arizona on such short notice.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The defendants were charged with 45 counts relating to the scheme, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., wire fraud, and aiding and assisting in preparing false tax returns.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The defendants include Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers who was sentenced to 18 years for seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the riot, and Kelly Meggs, one of Rhodes' top deputies who was sentenced to 12 years.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Fink acknowledged the challenges of antibodies getting to the GI tract and said the company’s actively monitoring that as part of its development process.
    Alex Knapp, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
  • These organs absorb nutrients from food and move the contents along the GI tract.
    Carrie Madormo, RN, MPH, Verywell Health, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • And there are skewers, as there have to be: One with Wagyu top sirloin marinated in pomegranate-ginger syrup, another with ground lamb and mint and another with springy chunks of king-trumpet mushrooms.
    John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
  • For running in particular, the Apple Watch Series 10, the Galaxy Watch 7, and the Pixel Watch 3 all capture advanced form metrics like ground contact time, power, and vertical oscillation.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Kelly lives on an adjoining parcel, and J.D. and Trey’s property is around the corner.
    Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Zuckerberg and Chan backed off after public outcry, but still ended up purchasing 12 of these parcels.
    Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near plot

Cite this Entry

“Plot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plot. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on plot

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