schedule
Americannoun
-
a plan of procedure, usually written, for a proposed objective, especially with reference to the sequence of and time allotted for each item or operation necessary to its completion.
The schedule allows three weeks for this stage.
-
a series of things to be done or of events to occur at or during a particular time or period.
He always has a full schedule.
-
a timetable.
-
a written or printed statement of details, often in classified or tabular form, especially one forming an appendix or explanatory addition to another document.
-
Obsolete. a written paper.
noun
-
a plan of procedure for a project, allotting the work to be done and the time for it
-
a list of items
a schedule of fixed prices
-
a list of times, esp of arrivals and departures; timetable
-
a list of tasks to be performed, esp within a set period
-
law a list or inventory, usually supplementary to a contract, will, etc
-
at the expected or planned time
verb
-
to make a schedule of or place in a schedule
-
to plan to occur at a certain time
Synonym Usage
See list 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
well-scheduledadjective
-
schedularadjective
-
subschedulenoun
-
prescheduleverb (used with object)
-
schedulernoun
-
unscheduledadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has scheduledperfect 3rd person singular
-
have scheduledperfect
-
have been schedulingperfect progressive
-
is schedulingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
has been schedulingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
are schedulingprogressive
-
am schedulingprogressive 1st person singular
-
schedulingparticiple
-
schedulessingular 3rd person
Past
-
had scheduledperfect
-
were schedulingprogressive plural
-
had been schedulingperfect progressive
-
was schedulingprogressive singular
-
scheduledsimple
-
scheduledparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of schedule
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Late Latin schedula, equivalent to Latin sched(a) “leaf of paper” + -ula noun suffix ( see -ule); replacing Middle English cedule, sedule, from Middle French, from Late Latin, as above
Explanation
A schedule is a plan of things to be done and the time when they will be done. It is the thing you write down in your planner. If you're a student, you probably have your class schedule memorized within the first few weeks of school. This noun derives from Middle English sedule "slip of parchment or paper, note," from Late Latin schedula, from scheda "a strip of papyrus," from Greek schida "a splinter of wood." The modern spelling schedule did not become established until the mid 17th century. And the current American pronunciation, patterned on words such as scheme and school, was not in use until the 19th century.
Vocabulary lists containing schedule
Words Whose Pronunciation Has Changed Over Time
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Purple Hibiscus
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Moving the schedule meant the matches would be directly competing with the football, basketball and hockey seasons in the U.S., potentially lowering ratings.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
Dart fought back from a set down to beat Liudmila Samsonova 5-7 6-4 6-3 in one of only three matches completed on Monday as the rain wreaked havoc with the schedule.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
JSerra navigated a difficult regular-season schedule, then avoided upsets in the playoffs.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
When Bad Bunny or Taylor Swift announce a tour, Sagan jumps into action, setting up American’s flying schedule to help fans get to shows.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
I tell him about the schedule of the farmers markets, the name of that first motel Mom and I stayed at, and every detail I can think of when it comes to Dr.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
