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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

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 plot
Noun
Look, nobody watches classic Jackie Chan movies for the plot, complex characterizations, or the dubbing (which is often hilariously bad). ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025 The initial plot concerns sullen teen Quinn (Katie Douglas) and her fraying bond with her depressed father (Aaron Abrams), who move to a sleepy Midwest town that is decaying after the local corn syrup factory shudders and is burned down. William Earl, Variety, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
As Jennifer’s Body plots a resurrection, Amanda Seyfried still has nothing but praise for the original. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 22 Mar. 2025 According to authorities, Goodwin, 32, plotted to have her husband killed with the help of Grant Amato, a Florida man who’s serving a life sentence for the 2019 murders of his father, mother and brother at their suburban Orlando home. Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plot
Noun
  • Nearly 30 years ago California legislators faced a test of their integrity in voting for an electricity deregulation scheme that ratepayers are still paying for.
    Jamie Court, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Minnesota Vikings Needs: RB, D-line, CB, S Ole Miss CB Trey Amos: Amos has good instincts around the ball and the press coverage skills needed to fit Brian Flores’ defensive scheme, which places cornerbacks on an island most of the time. 25.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • There are 95 players in the field, the largest in a decade, even without five-time champion Tiger Woods, who had surgery in March to repair a torn Achilles tendon.
    CBS News, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The trees border pastures and fields of corn and beans.
    Jeffrey A. Brunk, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This legendary property opened its doors in 1920 and has hosted presidents, celebrities, and other famous guests throughout the years.
    Cynthia J Drake, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Villegas arrived at his property to discover that small furniture from around the house had been relocated to the garage, and some items were missing entirely.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.
    Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Anthologies had all but vanished from regular TV programming, and the idea of a series without recurring characters or story arcs didn’t neatly fit into the standard categories.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Russell Jones entered a no-contest plea to conspiracy to commit murder.
    Natalie Morales, Richard Fetzer, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2025
  • He also is found guilty of first-degree arson and conspiracy to commit arson.
    Todd Pendleton, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • How antibiotics can affect your gut bacteria Antibiotics are medications prescribed to treat many different types of bacterial infections, like sinus infections, strep throat, urinary tract infections (UTIs), pelvic infections, and bacterial vaginosis (BV).
    Beth Krietsch, SELF, 7 Apr. 2025
  • There are a lot more mice, rabbits, raccoons, and opossums in the brush between houses than in large tracts of underdeveloped forests.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • While on the road - Opt for the middle lanes and remain on higher ground.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Under the county’s ownership, the old prison and grounds became a park, a golf course, three schools, and an arts center.
    Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • At least half of those duty-free parcels came from China.
    Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Image Rent became an issue for Freehold, the popular cafe turned nightclub on the south side of Williamsburg, after new owners bought the building and adjacent parcels.
    Brian Josephs, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plot. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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