as in calculating
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as in scheming
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as in planning
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
mobsters were caught plotting to take over the company
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Recent Examples of plotting
Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
But Goebel’s sharp dialogue, razor plotting and fiery sense of Los Angeles elevate his unconventional characters.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
In this moment, and in this film, the plotting feels queasy and obvious.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
Pixels • One promising character disconnected from the plotting so far is Zach Galifianakis as Carl Bardolph, a client of JoAnne’s who made some untold fortune in the business, but has since turned into a bitter recluse.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
But despite Badio’s behind-the-scenes plotting, John insisted that the former official was not the one in charge of the operation.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
His strategic planning and patience in taking control require proper plotting, which the sea-goat can do when invested in a project.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
But her character succumbs to Ducournau’s convoluted plotting.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
In its plotting and structure, this often feels less like a series than a two-hour movie that’s been stretched to fill eight 45-minute episodes on the rationale that the latter would be easier to greenlight than the former.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Patrick Reed has also left the circuit and is plotting a return via his performances on the DP World Tour.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Valente began plotting the Brown University massacre as early as 2022, renting a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, to stash his weapons.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
While last-minute work continued, many South Florida residents and tourists already were plotting weekend strategies to view the glittering bay spectacle.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Wiener Neustadt, Austria — A man accused of pledging allegiance to ISIS and plotting to attack one of superstar singer Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna nearly two years ago pleaded guilty as his trial began on Tuesday, Austria media reported.
—CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Summer vacation season is nearly here, which means that for many American travelers, now is the time to start plotting out those summer road trips.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
One of two men accused of plotting an attack at the concert, Aliji had been set to stand trial on charges including joining a terrorist organization, preparing explosives and attempting to illegally obtain firearms.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
After expressing sorrow for having put innocent people in danger by transporting weaponry and plotting to commit an act of violence in a public place, Allen’s letter lays out his list of targets.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
Even the film’s critic-defying, pinky-swearing fanbase may be disappointed in the barebones production, jarring plotting, tired dialogue and ham-handed staging.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
But Goebel’s sharp dialogue, razor plotting and fiery sense of Los Angeles elevate his unconventional characters.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
In this moment, and in this film, the plotting feels queasy and obvious.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
Pixels • One promising character disconnected from the plotting so far is Zach Galifianakis as Carl Bardolph, a client of JoAnne’s who made some untold fortune in the business, but has since turned into a bitter recluse.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
But despite Badio’s behind-the-scenes plotting, John insisted that the former official was not the one in charge of the operation.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
His strategic planning and patience in taking control require proper plotting, which the sea-goat can do when invested in a project.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
But her character succumbs to Ducournau’s convoluted plotting.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
In its plotting and structure, this often feels less like a series than a two-hour movie that’s been stretched to fill eight 45-minute episodes on the rationale that the latter would be easier to greenlight than the former.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Stuart’s prose is gorgeous and his plotting strategic; nothing is lost.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Patrick Reed has also left the circuit and is plotting a return via his performances on the DP World Tour.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Valente began plotting the Brown University massacre as early as 2022, renting a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, to stash his weapons.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
While last-minute work continued, many South Florida residents and tourists already were plotting weekend strategies to view the glittering bay spectacle.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Wiener Neustadt, Austria — A man accused of pledging allegiance to ISIS and plotting to attack one of superstar singer Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna nearly two years ago pleaded guilty as his trial began on Tuesday, Austria media reported.
—CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Summer vacation season is nearly here, which means that for many American travelers, now is the time to start plotting out those summer road trips.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
One of two men accused of plotting an attack at the concert, Aliji had been set to stand trial on charges including joining a terrorist organization, preparing explosives and attempting to illegally obtain firearms.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
After expressing sorrow for having put innocent people in danger by transporting weaponry and plotting to commit an act of violence in a public place, Allen’s letter lays out his list of targets.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plotting
Adjective
-
Even Alex becomes too entangled in her students’ dealings and ends up suffering at the hands of one of the more calculating boys.—
Rebekah Frumkin,
Washington Post,
6 Sep. 2019
-
And experts believe that his intuitive style could throw the more calculating Caruana, who has faced time crunches already in this championship, off-balance.—
Joshua Robinson,
WSJ,
27 Nov. 2018
Noun
-
Enter Consuelos’ Maurice, of course, just in time to put a capper on all the scheming and on this show.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
19 Apr. 2026
-
When Ashley handed the fake certificate to Josh, his mind was on his own scheming.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An hour before Hitchcock's execution, Texas is planning to put James Broadnax to death for the 2008 double murder of two Christian music producers in the Dallas suburb of Garland.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Countries across the Gulf have arrested scores of people during the war, on charges ranging from posting images of wartime damage, to planning terrorist attacks with Iran.—
Dominic Dudley,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
First Israeli deployment in an Arab state The covert Israeli deployment of the country’s vaunted Iron Dome missile defense system in the UAE underscored the nations’ deepening ties, an Israeli source familiar with the matter told CNN last week, confirming a report by Axios.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
-
Paglen traces magickal attempts to mold reality back to midcentury covert operations such as the CIA’s infamous MKUltra program—the one exploring mind control through electroshock therapy, hypnosis, and LSD.—
Louis Bury,
ARTnews.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Such environments are designed to be hostile to non-stealth aircraft, helicopters, and some legacy stealth platforms under the wrong conditions.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The vertical stabilizer has been removed to increase the stealth of the airframe by reducing the radar signature across both high- and low-frequency bands.—
David Szondy
April 21,
New Atlas,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The upside of the bar's surreptitious locale is sometimes not having to share it with a soul; the downside is the potential lack of a pool partner, so bring your own.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Over the following 12 days, investigators determined that Lulinski had used his cell phone on multiple occasions to take inappropriate and surreptitious photos or videos of minors during normal school activities.—
CBS Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And the level of secrecy surrounding how this map was drawn was rather amazing.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
-
The map was made in secrecy, revealed just a day before the Special Session, and pushed through just months before critical elections.—
Jon Harris Maurer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Filling out the role of Ilya is Jay Armstrong Johnson; Jimin Moon plays Shane; Ryann Redmond plays a wine-mom narrator who lives for their clandestine love.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
For those escaping to Philadelphia from regions nearer to Pennsylvania, clandestine travel by small boat or by road was more likely than stowing away on a steamship.—
Jeremy Mennis,
The Conversation,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plotting. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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